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Asahi Kasei Report 2021
Creating for Tomorrow
We, the Asahi Kasei Group,
contribute to life and living
for people around the world.
Group Mission
Providing new value to society
by enabling “living in health and comfort”
and “harmony with the natural environment.”
Sincerity—Being sincere with everyone.
Challenge—Boldly taking challenges, continuously seeking change.
Creativity—Creating new value through unity and synergy.
Group Vision
Group Values
Group Slogan Creating for Tomorrow
Asahi Kasei Report 2021 1
Contents
Asahi Kasei Group Overview
3 At a Glance
5 Financial and Non-Financial Highlights
7 Addressing Social Issues and Advancing Business
Portfolio Strategies—Our Path to Three Sectors—
Management Strategy
10 Message from the President
1 8 Value Creation Model
19 The Asahi Kasei Group’s Vision for the Future of
People and the Earth
22 Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality and a Circular Economy
27 Initiatives Regarding Climate Change Disclosure
Based on the TCFD Recommendations
29 New Business Creation
32 New Business Creation Utilizing Corporate
Venture Capital
34 Digital Transformation
39 Human Resource Strategies
43 Financial and Capital Policy
Business Overview
46 Review of Operations
46 Material
48 Homes
50 Health Care
Corporate Governance and
Risk Management
53 Corporate Governance
57 Directors and Audit & Supervisory
Board Members
60 Interview with an Outside Director
62 Risk Management
Corporate Information
66 Consolidated Financial Statements
71 Corporate Profile / Stock Information
72 Information Disclosure
Editorial policy
For greater ease of understanding among our stakeholders regarding the
Asahi Kasei Group’s operating climate and overall business activities, the
Asahi Kasei Report focuses on such areas as our management strategy,
business conditions, and management configuration as well as our efforts
toward sustainability in society. Detailed sustainability-related information is
disclosed on our website.
Period under review
The period under review is fiscal 2020 (April 2020 to March 2021). Some
qualitative information pertaining to April to July 2021 has also been included.
Organizational scope
The scope of the report is Asahi Kasei Corp. and its consolidated subsidiaries
(in other cases, noted in the text). Asahi Kasei’s three operating segments are
Material, Homes, and Health Care. The titles and positions of corporate officers
and other personnel as shown in this report are current as of September 2021.
Guidelines consulted
The GRI Standards, the standards of the Sustainability Accounting Standards
Board, ISO 26000, and other guidelines were consulted during the preparation
of this report.
Disclaimer
The forecasts and estimates shown in this report are dependent on a variety of
assumptions and economic conditions. Plans and figures depicting the future
do not imply a guarantee of actual outcome.
Photographs at the beginning of each section
We have used a selection of prize-winning photographs from our
Sustainability Photo Contest held in March and April 2021. The
contest solicited photographs from all Asahi Kasei Group employ-
ees and executives that would inspire people to think about and
act on sustainability in their daily lives. More than 2,300 submis-
sions were received from our sites around the world.
2Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate InformationAsahi Kasei Report 2021
Net Sales by Region
Employees
44,497
Overseas sales ratio
42.8 %Credit rating*
AAConsolidated subsidiaries
228
Global bases
More than 20 countries and regions
47.4%
19.5%
33.6%
34.2%
32.2%
33.1%
Fiscal 2020 Net Sales
¥ 2,106.1billion Of which, overseas employees
account for nearly 40%
Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR)
* As of June 30, 2021
Material
Homes
Health Care
At a Glance
Notable Facts (as of March 31, 2021)
Europe
¥124.9 billion
5.9 %
Asia (excluding China)
¥ 215.3 billion
10.3 %
China
¥198.9 billion
9.4 %
The Americas
¥ 335.9 billion
15.9 %
Other Regions
¥ 26.8 billion
1.3 %
Note: As of March 31, 2021
Note: Percentages shown exclude the
“Others” category and “corporate
expenses and eliminations”
Fiscal 2020 Operating Income
¥171.8 billion
Japan
¥1,204.3 billion
57.2 %
3Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate InformationAsahi Kasei Report 2021
Material Homes Health Care
Priority Fields for Provision of Value and Related Products
Hipore™ and Celgard™ separators for lithium-ion
batteries
Ion-exchange membrane chlor-alkali electrolysis
process
Engineering plastics Lamous™ artificial suede
Dinamica™ automotive interior material
Ceolus™ microcrystalline cellulose Household products
Hebel Haus™ unit homes
Hebel Maison™ apartment buildings
Pharmaceutical products
Planova™ virus removal filters
ZOLL AED Plus™ automated external defibrillator
Hebel Village™ apartments for seniors
Atlas™ condominiums
Environment & Energy Home & Living Health Care
Mobility
Life Material
4Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate InformationAsahi Kasei Report 2021
Net sales (domestic & overseas), operating income, operating margin
(¥ billion) (¥ billion)
In fiscal 2020, both sales and operating income were largely flat year on year as
earnings in the Health Care sector offset declines in the Material and Homes
sectors that stemmed from COVID-19. Overseas sales accounted for over 40%
of total net sales in fiscal 2020, reflecting an increase in overseas sales due to
overseas business expansion, including through M&A.
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
300
240
180
120
60
0
25
20
15
10
5
02016 2017 2018 2019 2020
171.8
2,106.1
8.2
159.2
198.5209.6
1,883.02,042.2
2,170.4
8.5 9.7 9.7
177.3
2,151.6
8.2
Domestic sales Overseas sales (left scale)
Operating income (right scale) Operating margin (%)
(FY)
EBITDA1, depreciation and amortization, EBITDA margin
(¥ billion)
The amount of depreciation and amortization is increasing with proactive
capital expenditures and M&A activity. EBITDA is regarded as a key perfor-
mance indicator (KPI) signifying the generation of cash flow. The decrease in
depreciation and amortization in fiscal 2018 resulted from a change in the
method of depreciation of property, plant and equipment from the declining-
balance method to the straight-line method.
400
300
200
100
0
20
15
10
5
0
133.3
14.5305.1
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
109.2 113.5 104.0
14.3 15.314.5
268.4311.9 313.6
118.3
13.7
295.6
EBITDA Depreciation and amortization (tangible, intangible, and goodwill)
EBITDA margin (%)1 Operating income, depreciation, and amortization
Capital expenditure, R&D expenses
(¥ billion)
The Company proactively carries out capital expenditure geared toward growth,
including sustainability- and digital transformation-related investments, and
research and development (R&D) aimed at the Health Care sector and in new
business creation. However, in fiscal 2020, both capital expenditure and R&D
expenses were flat year on year due to strict scrutiny over investments in light
of the impact of COVID-19.
0
50
100
150
200
89.7
153.7
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
79.6 85.7 90.190.6101.3
136.2
91.0
154.1
Capital expenditure R&D expenses
(FY)
Net income attributable to owners of the parent in fiscal 2020 decreased due to
a one-off increase in tax expenses due to the reconfiguration of organizations
related to Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (hereinafter Veloxis). As a result, EPS
also decreased.
(FY)
Net income attributable to owners of the parent, EPS
(¥ billion) (¥)
0
50
100
150
200
0
50
100
150
200
57.49
79.8
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
82.34
121.93
105.66115.0
170.2
147.5
74.85
103.9
Net income attributable to owners of the parent (left scale)
EPS (right scale)
Although interest-bearing debt increased in fiscal 2019 due to the acquisition
of Veloxis, it decreased in fiscal 2020 because of the repayment of loans
payable following an improvement in cash flows. As a result, the D/E ratio at the
end of fiscal 2020 decreased by 0.07, remaining in line with our target ratio of
around 0.5.
Interest-bearing debt, D/E ratio
(¥ billion)
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0.45
659.0
0
200
400
600
800
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
0.350.23
0.31
402.8
301.7
424.9
0.52
703.8
Interest-bearing debt (left scale) D/E ratio (right scale)
The Company positions ROE and ROIC as KPIs to indicate its efficiency in
generating profits. In fiscal 2020, ROE declined due to the decrease in net
income. ROIC also declined due to the one-off increase in tax expenses due to
the reconfiguration of organizations related to Veloxis and an expansion in
invested capital associated with an increase in interest-bearing debt following
the acquisition of Veloxis.
(FY)
ROE2, ROIC3
(%)
4.9
5.6
0
5
10
15
20
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
7.8
9.78.8
10.5
14.0
11.1
6.6
7.6
ROE ROIC2 Net income per shareholders’ equity3 (Operating income – income taxes) / average annual invested capital
(FY)(FY)
Financial Highlights
5Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate InformationAsahi Kasei Report 2021
Energy intensity 1
(Index)
Number of Group Masters
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
(Million tons CO2 equivalent)
Workplace injury frequency rate2,3
Number of women working as managers4 Number of patents
0
100
200
300
2017/6 2018 /6 2019/6 2020/6 2021/6
257
171193
212231
0
100
200
300
250
90
124
180
229
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 (FY)
(FY)0
0.21
1.93
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
1.26
0.35
2.79
0.30
1.81
0.41 0.44
0.84
0
4,000
8,000
12,000
16,000
7,803
7,411
2016/12 2017/12 2018 /12 2019/12 2020/12
6,509 6,780 7,219
7,359 7,458 7,472
7,721
7,456
Japan Overseas
85
92
100 101
96
100
90
80
70
60
02016 2017 2018 2019 2020 (FY)
5
4
3
2
1
0
100
3.89
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
4.35 4.22 4.16 3.99
Japan4 Results for personnel employed by Asahi Kasei Corp., Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corp., Asahi
Kasei Homes Corp., Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Corp., Asahi Kasei Pharma Corp., and
Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.
1 Indexed to energy consumption per unit of production in fiscal 2016 as 100
(FY)
Japan Overseas2 Number of accidental deaths and injuries resulting in the loss of one or more workdays, per
million man-hours worked3 Among domestic and overseas subsidiaries and affiliates applying the Asahi Kasei Group
Responsible Care Program
The Asahi Kasei Group has thus far targeted the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions relative to sales (emissions intensity). However, we changed to an
absolute emissions reduction target to indicate a clearer path toward the
achievement of carbon neutrality. We are steadily reducing emissions to achieve
our target and will endeavor to reduce emissions going forward.
We promote energy conservation at every stage of our business activities to
prevent global warming and conserve limited resources. Over the past five
years, we have made steady improvements, lowering our energy consumption
per unit of production by 1% annually on average.
Asahi Kasei believes that it is essential for a diverse range of human resources
with a variety of values and backgrounds to play active roles. For this reason,
we foster an environment to support the advancement of women to positions in
organizational management.
While the frequency rate of lost-workday injuries among employees in Japan
improved significantly, this rate deteriorated among overseas employees. We
are making improvements by applying measures to avoid recurrence based
on analysis of the causes of injuries that have occurred, while implementing
preventive measures based on risk assessments.
We are focused on building and maintaining an intellectual property network to
secure competitive advantage. We evaluate whether to maintain or abandon our
intellectual property every year, aiming to form an optimal intellectual property
portfolio. As we expand our business globally, it is becoming increasingly
important to obtain patents overseas.
To foster the growth of our human resources while simultaneously capturing
external human resources, we appoint, nurture, and reward as Group Masters
individuals with the potential to proactively engage in and contribute to the
creation of new businesses and the enhancement of established businesses.
Non-Financial Highlights
Target: –30% or more by FY2030
compared with FY2013
(5.11 MtCO2e)
6Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate InformationAsahi Kasei Report 2021
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
0
50
100
150
200
250
19401922 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
In every era, the Asahi Kasei Group has addressed social issues by dynamically transforming its business portfolio and
supplying products and services that meet the changing needs of the times. We will continue to contribute to life and living for
people around the world by Creating for Tomorrow.
Chemical fertilizers, regenerated fiber,
explosives, etc.
(¥ billion) (¥ billion)
FY1940 Net sales
¥56 million
Net sales (left scale): Material Homes Health Care Others
Operating income (right scale)
Notes: 1. Non-consolidated figures are shown through fiscal 1976; consolidated figures
are shown from fiscal 1977.
2. Color-coded sales are based on classifications at the time of disclosure; results of
health care–related businesses through fiscal 1988 are included in “Others.”
Establishing the basis for modern life
• Development of chemical industry and modern agriculture
• The Great Depression and World War II
New business entry, M&A
Withdrawal, downsizing, divestment
• Ammonia
• Regenerated fiber (cupro, viscose rayon)
• Chemical fertilizer
• Foods (monosodium glutamate)
Addressing Social Issues and Advancing Business Portfolio Strategies —Our Path to Three Sectors—
Founding and Japan’s first production of synthetic ammoniaAsahi Kasei contributed to establishment of the basis for modern life through its businesses such as the production of Bemberg™ cupro, a regenerated fiber.
“As industrialists, we must always remember that our ultimate mission is to improve people’s standard of living by supplying an abundance of the highest-quality daily necessities at the lowest prices.”
(Founder Shitagau Noguchi, 1933)
Asahi Kasei’s evolutionSocial needs and times Business portfolio transformation
1922–
Founding and Japan’s first production of synthetic ammonia
Expansion into petrochemicals and synthetic fibers
Expansion into homes, health care, and electronics
Progress in overseas business, focus on business restructuring
Accelerated globalization through M&A, expansion of health care business
7Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate InformationAsahi Kasei Report 2021
• Polystyrene
• Synthetic fiber (acrylic fiber)
• Saran Wrap™
• Acrylonitrile
• Synthetic rubber
• Ethylene (construction of naphtha cracker)
• Autoclaved aerated concrete
• Hebel Haus™ unit homes
• Artificial kidneys
• Pharmaceuticals
• Hall elements
• LSIs
• Lithium-ion battery separators
• Hebel Maison™ apartment buildings
• Insulation panels
• Acquisition of Toyo Jozo Co., Ltd. (pharmaceuticals and liquors)
• Virus removal filters
• Foods
• Electronic compasses
• UVC LEDs
• Hydrogen production system (process verification)
• New businesses for homes (seniors, medium-rise, overseas)
• Critical care
• Viscose rayon, acrylic fiber, polyester
• Restructuring of petrochemical business
• Liquors
Fibers
Chemicals
Foods
FY1960 Net sales
¥44.9 billion
Chemicals
Foods/Health care Fibers
Homes/ Construction
materials
Others
FY1980 Net sales
¥ 800.1billion
Material
Homes
Health care
Others
FY2020 Net sales
¥2,106.1billion
Chemicals
Electronics
Homes/ Construction
materials
Health care
FY2000 Net sales
¥1,269.4billion
Others Fibers
Sufficiency of daily necessities
• Post-war recovery and modernization of industry
• Start of period of high economic growth
Improvement in quality of homes, development of public infrastructure
• Period of high economic growth
• Transition to stable economic growth
Increased comfort and convenience• Emergence and collapse of economic
bubble
• Two decades of meager economic growth
Increasing awareness of the envi-ronment and quality of life
• Regional diversification
• Effect of global economic crisis
• Advancement of digital technologies
• Aging populations and pursuit of health and prosperity
• COVID-19 pandemic
• Rising interest in carbon neutrality and the circular economy
New business entry, M&A
Withdrawal, downsizing, divestment
Asahi Kasei’s evolutionSocial needs and times Business portfolio transformation
Expansion into petrochemicals and synthetic fibersAfter World War II, the modernization of industry advanced in Japan, driving the independence and growth of the Japanese economy. Asahi Kasei embarked on various new businesses that helped improve the quality of people’s lives.
Expansion into homes, health care, and electronicsAs the Japanese economy transitioned from a period of high economic growth to a period of more stable growth, Asahi Kasei entered new fields to address diversifying social needs.
Progress in overseas business, focus on business restructuringAfter the collapse of Japan’s economic bubble, Asahi Kasei divested, withdrew, and downsized businesses to achieve a selectively diversified portfolio. It was also during this time that we built our platforms for global management.
Accelerated globalization through M&A, expansion of health care businessAsahi Kasei accelerated the globalization of its operations and expanded its health care business through mergers and acquisi-tions. We reorganized our operations in the three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care for thorough portfolio man-agement with optimal allocation of management resources and greater generation of synergies between business domains.
1940s–
1960s–
1980 s–
2000s–
8Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate InformationAsahi Kasei Report 2021
Management Strategy
Asahi Kasei Sustainability Photo Contest
Name Wei Gu
Company Asahi Kasei Transfusion Technology Co., Ltd.
Country/region China
Care for People, Care for Earth
9Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Hideki KoboriPresident
In this time of uncertainty, we will pave the way for the next 100 years by taking the initiative in realizing a virtuous cycle between “contributing to a sustainable society” and “sustainable growth of corporate value” while leveraging our “diversity” and “capability to change.”
Message from the President
10Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Working to thoroughly reinstitute safety and to restore trust
The Asahi Kasei Group implements Responsible Care, a chemi-
cal industry initiative promoting dialogue with society with the
goal of preserving the environment and ensuring safety, health,
and quality by thoroughly practicing the three fundamental
“actuals,” which focus on the actual place, actual thing, and
actual fact throughout the life cycle of all of the products and
services that we provide. Despite these efforts, two serious
accidents occurred at Asahi Kasei plants in fiscal 2020. A
worker died in an explosion at our Moriyama Works in Shiga
Prefecture, while the outbreak of a fire at our semiconductor
plant in Nobeoka in Miyazaki Prefecture also affected our
business partners. I once again offer my sincere apologies to
everyone concerned. We are investigating the causes of each
accident and thoroughly implementing measures to prevent any
recurrence. Furthermore, we are raising the level of safety
awareness of the organization as a whole and of each and every
employee by communicating the preventative measures
throughout the Asahi Kasei Group. Respect for human life and
safety are core values of our business. We will strive to regain
trust by earnestly working to ensure the safety of communities
and our employees.
Dramatic change in our business environment triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the positioning of “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021”
The global spread of COVID-19 continues to bring about discon-
tinuous and uncertain change. As the pandemic brought new
social and environmental issues into focus, people’s awareness
of life, health, and hygiene as well as their values in relation to
work and lifestyles have changed dramatically. I believe that
increasing emphasis will be placed on the fulfillment of individu-
als in their lives and careers due to these changes.
Meanwhile, global warming—the primary cause of climate
change—has become a pressing issue for mankind. Amid these
circumstances, public- and private-sector initiatives aimed at
realizing carbon neutrality by 2050 are proceeding at a rapid
pace that would have been unimaginable a year ago. We also
need to urgently respond to changes in international affairs
resulting from the decoupling of the United States and China,
and to all aspects of the entire supply chain, including human
rights issues such as forced labor. In this fast-changing world,
we must maintain an awareness of all manner of opportunities
and risks and boldly take on challenges as a company at the
forefront of change.
In 2019, the Asahi Kasei Group launched the “Cs+ for
Tomorrow 2021” medium-term management initiative. While we
promoted various measures for the two mutually reinforcing
aspects of sustainability of “contributing to the sustainability of
society” and “the sustainable growth of corporate value,” our
basic approach remains unchanged. In regard to “contributing
to the sustainability of society,” we set forth “Care for People,
Care for Earth” to clarify our stance of continuing to contribute to
the sustainable development of people and the earth. We also
identified Environment & Energy, Mobility, Life Material, Home &
Living, and Health Care as priority fields where we can provide
value that will be highly regarded by society going forward, and
we are continually focusing the allocation of management
resources to these five priority fields.
Wherever there is change, there are business opportunities.
In this era of great uncertainty, we will take a proactive approach
by leveraging our strengths, which are the “diversity” of our
human resources, technologies, and businesses and the “capa-
bility to change” created by the ingenuity of our individual
employees, organizations, and the company as a whole.
11Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Progress on “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021”
In fiscal 2020, the second year of “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021,” we
proceeded steadily with initiatives in our priority fields for provi-
sion of value amid a business environment that continues to
change unpredictably.
In Environment & Energy, we are incrementally increasing
our production capacity for lithium-ion battery separators in
line with the growth of the market for eco-friendly electric
drive vehicles. In Mobility, we are expanding the business of
Sage Automotive Interiors, Inc., a manufacturer of automobile
interior fabric, while generating synergies with Lamous™, an
environment-friendly artificial suede. In Life Material, we
decided to build a second plant for Ceolus™ microcrystalline
cellulose, which is scheduled for completion in spring 2023,
in order to expand our output of high-performance products
for pharmaceuticals.
In Home & Living, we are working to contribute to the
achievement of a carbon neutral society and to enhance resil-
ience to disasters with the aim of building sustainable urban
environments. Meanwhile, to make the expansion of the over-
seas business in the United States and Australia a pillar of
growth, we are developing business models adapted to the
specific characteristics of each of these countries.
In Health Care, the acute critical care business, which we
have positioned as a core driver of growth, entered into the
respiratory dysfunction field by acquiring Respicardia, Inc. In
addition, we steadily expanded the pharmaceutical business
through such measures as working to increase sales of Envarsus
XR™, an immunosuppressive drug for kidney transplant
patients manufactured by Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which
we acquired in fiscal 2019.
While the Asahi Kasei Group was steadily promoting such
initiatives, lockdowns were implemented in major cities around
the world and a state of emergency was declared in Japan in
response to the spread of COVID-19. As the shortage of medical
products became a serious issue due to the global suspension
of production and distribution, we acted quickly to provide a
response. Our actions included temporarily ramping up produc-
tion capacity of ventilators to 10,000 per month, the equivalent
of 25 times that of our usual output, increasing the production of
material for medical gowns and masks, and supplying virus
removal filters required for the development of vaccines and
pharmaceuticals. These actions exemplify how we leverage our
“diversity” and “capability to change” to quickly identify changes
in the business environment and adapt in a flexible manner.
The Health Care sector performed well in fiscal 2020,
recording increased net sales and operating income. On the
other hand, results in the Material sector fell significantly short of
our plan at the time of formulating “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021”
due in part to a deterioration in business stemming from the
decoupling of the United States and China and a decline in
demand for products for the automotive market and petrochemi-
cals. Meanwhile, in the Homes sector, results lagged one year
behind the plan due to a decrease in orders received resulting
from restrictions on customers visiting model homes in Japan
because of COVID-19. However, we are beginning to see a
recovery in the Homes sector as a result of efforts to attract
customers in ways other than through model homes.
Our financial condition is sound, reflecting our emphasis
on financial discipline, careful selection of capital expenditure
and investment projects, and thorough implementation of
appropriate control of inventories and expenses taking into
consideration the circumstances in each sector. Going forward,
we will improve our capital efficiency and cash-generation
capabilities by steadily implementing investments in projects
that will contribute to growth over the medium to long term and
the transformation of our business portfolio, with a focus on the
12Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
cost of capital while maintaining our sound financial condition.
We plan to deliver returns to our shareholders at the level
envisaged when formulating “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021” by
adhering to our policy of aiming for stable dividends and
continuous dividend increases from a medium- to long-term
perspective through the sustained generation of cash flow
while paying close attention to the balance between invest-
ments for growth and our financial position.
Performance and Outlook by Sector
• Prioritization of profitability and capital efficiency over
increased scale; acceleration of portfolio transformation
• Thorough financial discipline; strict selection of
growth investments
• Domestic growth in homes for seniors and medium-rise
homes; overseas expansion in the U.S. and Australia
• Use of IT to raise profitability; continued cash flow
contribution
• High earnings growth and profitability through returns
on previous investments
• Continued investment for further expansion as
growth driver
* FY2019–FY2020 results, FY2021 forecasts (announced in May 2021); ¥ billion
Material• Slower growth and lower income due to environmental change
• Recovery under way, but performance below target
FY2019 FY2020 FY2021Sales 1,093.1 991.2 1,168.0
Operating income 92.4 66.5 100.0
Operating margin 8.4% 6.7% 8.6%
Homes• Domestic business recovering from COVID-19 impact but 1 year
behind plan
• Consolidation of McDonald Jones Homes
FY2019 FY2020 FY2021Sales 704.4 692.6 791.0
Operating income 72.7 63.5 67.0
Operating margin 10.3% 9.2% 8.5%
Health Care• Increased demand for ventilators and virus removal filters;
income growth forecast to achieve target
FY2019 FY2020 FY2021Sales 337.8 407.9 400.0
Operating income 43.5 67.6 55.0
Operating margin 12.9% 16.6% 13.8%
Dotted circle: current termSolid circle: mid-term targetCircle size: operating income amount
Growth (revenue growth rate)
Pro
�tab
ility
(ope
rati
ng m
argi
n)
Material
Homes
Health Care
Current Situation by Sector* Outlook
13Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Proactively reformulating our business strategy to accelerate the transformation of our business portfolio
In fiscal 2020, we advanced the allocation of management
resources to our priority fields for provision of value and proac-
tively reformulated our business strategy to accelerate the
transformation of our business portfolio. In a business environ-
ment subject to discontinuous and uncertain change, it is
becoming increasingly necessary to grow earnings sustainably
using limited capital in order to continuously meet the expecta-
tions of various stakeholders.
Given such circumstances, we strengthened evaluations of
our business portfolio from the perspective of capital efficiency
while integrating evaluations of the sustainability of our busi-
nesses from the perspective of social issues and global environ-
mental problems. Specifically, building on evaluations using
profitability (operating margin) and growth (revenue growth
rate), we implemented business evaluations that added capital
efficiency (ROIC) and cost of capital perspectives, sustainability
perspectives (making use of quantitative indicators such as GHG
emissions), and the perspectives of profit amount, profit volatil-
ity, and business stage.
Based on the results of the business evaluations, we identi-
fied 15 businesses as strategy reformulation businesses from
among approximately 60 businesses evaluated, centered on
businesses handling commodity products in the Material sector
in particular. Senior management, including myself, and the
leaders of each business carried out strategy reexaminations
taking into consideration the discontinuous and uncertain com-
petitive environment in the future. After setting key performance
indicators (KPIs) and milestones, we have continuously
monitored conditions in these 15 businesses and have already
begun taking action with a view to implementing structural
reform in several of them.
Going forward, we will further emphasize the perspective of
market position to evaluate businesses. In fact, even in a busi-
ness environment in which it is challenging to develop face-to-
face relationships with new customers due to the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic, our businesses that hold the leading or
second-leading market share have maintained and strengthened
relationships with customers and business partners. Moreover,
these businesses have also succeeded in obtaining and lever-
aging a range of market information. We will further solidify
businesses with strong market positions with the aim of achiev-
ing a more profitable portfolio of value-added businesses.
Business Portfolio Transformation
Business evaluationStrategy reformulation
businesses Strategy study for individual businesses
Evaluated by profitability (operating margin) and growth (revenue growth rate)
Additional evaluation to classify businesses in 4 categories
• ROIC, cost of capital
• Sustainability (GHG emissions, etc.)
• Profit amount, profit volatility, business stage
Among approx. 60
businesses evaluated
15 businesses
Reconsidered strategy based on view of competitive environment impacted by COVID-19 pandemic
Set KPIs and milestones for strategy refor-mulation, continually monitoring progress
Process stages
Actions begun for structural reform of several businesses
High earnings base
Growth driver
StrengtheningStrategy
reformulation
4 categories
1) Study strategies/directions of businesses
2) Formulate specific measures/action plans
3) Execute measures
Mainly commodity products in
Material sector
14Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Pursuing sustainability aimed at achieving carbon neutrality and a circular economy
We pursue “Care for People, Care for Earth” under “Cs+ for
Tomorrow 2021.” By “Care for People” we aim to contribute to
the achievement of a society in which people can lead active
lives in the new normal, while “Care for Earth” indicates our
contribution to the creation of a sustainable world through the
achievement of carbon neutrality and a circular economy.
The Asahi Kasei Group has been implementing various
initiatives contributing to the achievement of carbon neutrality
and a circular economy. Amid these efforts, in May 2021 we
announced our goal of achieving carbon neutrality (net-zero
carbon emissions) by 2050* to create a sustainable world. We
have also set a target to reduce our GHG emissions by 30% or
more by 2030 compared with fiscal 2013.
In the process leading up to our announcement on carbon
neutrality, senior management, including myself, and the lead-
ers of each business carefully carried out repeated discussions
to verify the impact of carbon neutrality on all of our stakehold-
ers. Ultimately, based on our Group Mission of contributing to
life and living for people around the world, we concluded that
we could achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 if we drew upon
the collective knowledge of the Asahi Kasei Group.
The goal of realizing carbon neutrality by 2050 represents a
major challenge that transcends generations. I believe our gen-
eration must begin to do what we can now as a party with a
stake in realizing carbon neutrality and pass on the results of our
efforts to the next generation, rather than leave tackling this
major challenge to those who come after us. We will formulate a
road map and accelerate initiatives to achieve our targets of
energy consumption reduction, energy decarbonization, manu-
facturing process innovation, and the transformation of our
business portfolio to low-carbon businesses centered on the
Material sector.
In April 2021, we established the Green Solution Project,
which is under my direct authority as president, with the aim of
strengthening business creation to achieve carbon neutrality.
Based on an overarching view of markets related to decarbon-
ization, this project will create new businesses leveraging our
superior technologies to accelerate commercialization while
promoting partnerships with other companies, the public sector,
and academia. We will endeavor to develop businesses
efficiently by consolidating projects for environmental contribu-
tion technologies and products, such as those for green hydro-
gen using alkaline water electrolysis technology, CO2 separation
and recovery systems, and next-generation CO2 chemistry tech-
nology, while unifying contact points with external organizations.
We also recognize that the material industry has a major
part to play in the creation of a circular economy. With this in
mind, several of our organizations are examining fields where
we can make a contribution. As one example, we have built a
platform in partnership with IBM Japan, Ltd., that visualizes
and manages the supply chain utilizing blockchain technology
for the recycling of used plastic. During fiscal 2021, we will
conduct demonstration trials and carry out verification to
ensure traceability.
* Direct GHG emissions from business activities as indicated by Scope 1 (direct GHG
emissions) and Scope 2 (indirect GHG emissions from use of electricity, heat, and
steam supplied by other companies)
15Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Implementing digital transformation and strengthening our human resource foundations for creating new value
The Asahi Kasei Group proactively promotes digital transforma-
tion (DX) as a pillar of our growth strategy to transform business
models and create value. In April 2021, we established Digital
Value Co-Creation. By transferring digital-related organizations
that had been divided among multiple units under the oversight
of the new unit and consolidating human resources and knowl-
edge therein, we will entrench DX initiatives group-wide, which
will enable us to transform our business models and create new
businesses. In May 2021, we formulated our DX Vision 2030 to
clarify our aspiration for DX.
In January 2021, prior to establishing Digital Value
Co-Creation, we opened CoCo-CAFE, a digital co-creation labo-
ratory. With the opening of this laboratory, we aim to fortify our
DX foundations and create value by gathering together digital
human resources from various functions, such as marketing,
research and development, and production technology, to con-
nect knowledge held inside and outside the company.
Besides these efforts, we are also proactively developing and
acquiring digital human resources. We are strengthening DX
training for employees to promote measures for cultivating all
employees to digital human resources, under which we aim for
all employees to work with a mindset for utilizing digital technol-
ogy, including through the Open Badge system. At the same
time, we will increase the number of digital professional person-
nel to 230 by the end of fiscal 2021 via the implementation of
development programs and new recruitment.
From the perspective of strengthening our human resource
foundations, we are encouraging “lifetime growth” in which
diverse individuals enhance their expertise and grow continu-
ously even in times of dramatic change. We are once again
reviewing workstyles and mechanisms for developing human
resources while creating foundations that support the autono-
mous growth of employees and enable diverse individuals to
thrive, guided by the basic principle that “people are our core
assets; everything starts with people.” Examples of our endeav-
ors include recommending diverse workstyles such as
telecommuting, bolstering the development of professional
human resources by enhancing the Group Masters program,
implementing measures aimed at revitalizing our organizations
and spurring the growth of our human resources based on the
results of a new engagement survey, and nurturing the next
generation of leaders. In these ways, we are providing support for
the growth of employees of all ages and positions in accordance
with the career plans of their choice.
We are also proactively advancing measures in relation to
health and productivity management. I believe that maintaining
and improving the physical and mental health of employees and
their families is the foundation for employee vitality and growth.
To create opportunities for employees to play active roles and
achieve growth, we will focus on reducing the rate of absence
due to ill health, enhancing motivation for work, and fostering a
strong organizational culture of ambition, which will in turn help
raise productivity.
Strengthening corporate governance and risk management to improve corporate value
Corporate governance and risk management are vital elements
for steadily implementing our management strategies and the
business activities and initiatives to strengthen our foundations
based on them, as well as for enhancing our operations.
With our corporate governance structure, we have in place a
system to gain appropriate oversight and advice, paying atten-
tion to the proportion of Independent Outside Directors and
Audit & Supervisory Board Members and their various back-
grounds as we make the most of our “diversity” and “capability
to change.” In a fast-evolving business environment, we will
continue to review corporate governance as a mechanism for
making optimal decisions transparently, fairly, promptly, and
boldly. At Board of Directors’ meetings in fiscal 2020, we carried
out free and open discussions on our policy for the improvement
of corporate value while incorporating the perspectives of a wide
range of stakeholders in a timely manner. These discussions
included the sharing of a broad range of information on the
substance of communications with investors and shareholders
and on the promotion of sustainability as well as deliberations
concerning the transformation of our business portfolio.
16Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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In respect to risks, we have placed particular priority on
export control regulations due to the decoupling of the United
States and China, human rights issues encompassing the entire
supply chain, cyber security including the dissemination of
information centered on social networking services, and
consideration for the environment, safety, health, and quality. In
order to heighten the risk awareness of each and every
employee, as well as the Asahi Kasei Group as a whole, and deal
decisively with risks, managers responsible for risk management
and compliance identify, assess, and analyze risks in each
business and draft contingency plans in response to important
risks. In addition, the Risk Management & Compliance
Committee, which I chair, thoroughly confirms and follows up on
the progress of group-wide risk countermeasures.
Our Commitment toward the Next 100 Years
Fiscal 2022 will see the launch of the Asahi Kasei Group’s next
medium-term management initiative and mark the centennial of
Asahi Kasei’s founding. Shitagau Noguchi, our founder, stated
that “As industrialists, we must always remember that our ulti-
mate mission is to improve people’s standard of living by supply-
ing an abundance of the highest-quality daily necessities at the
lowest prices.” By continuing to adhere to this vision, the Asahi
Kasei Group will take on the challenge of achieving a new trans-
formation to ensure that our commitment to “Care for People,
Care for Earth” endures for another century thanks to the “diver-
sity” of our human resources, technologies, and businesses and
the “capability to change” that springs from the ingenuity of our
employees, organizations, and the company, cultivated over the
past century.
Management Direction for the Next 100 Years
1. Realize the two aspects of sustainability for Asahi Kasei
• Providing solutions for a sustainable society through innovative technologies and advanced initiatives
• Providing value expected by society to realize sustainable growth of corporate value
2. Strengthen corporate governance and management of operations in the three business sectors
• Pursuing both high profitability and capital efficiency and sustainable profit growth
• Pursuing synergies between businesses and dynamic portfolio transformation
3. Further enhance business platform, the fundamental strength of Asahi Kasei
• Providing a venue where diverse individuals can thrive with high motivation
• Maximizing use of intangible assets such as diverse core technologies and accumulated know-how
• Upgrading and streamlining operations and reforming business models through DX
Hideki KoboriPresident
17Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Input
Outcome Contribution to comfortable life
Contribution to health and longevity
Contribution to the global environment
Contact points with various markets ( automotive, electronics, hospitals, consumers, etc.)
Human resources involved in multiple businessesNumber of employees: 44,497 1
Bases: More than 20 countries and regions 1
Technologies in a wide range of fields( polymers, compound semiconductors, homes, pharmaceuticals, etc.)
Contribution to sustainability (non-financial indicators identified in the materiality analysis)
1 As of March 31, 20212 As of June 30, 2021
Contributing to sustainable societyContributing to sustainable society
Diversity & Capability to Change
Employee action principles Creating new value
Care for People, Care for Earth
Group Mission Contributing to life and living for people around the world
Business portfolio management capabilityStrengthening business foundations
through the “Cs”
Material Homes Health Care
Ability to manage diversified
business
Ability to ascertain business
characteristics
Ability to transform business
portfolio
New Business Creation (P29–33) Human Resource Strategies (P39–42)
Strong financial foundationD/E ratio: 0.451
Credit rating: AA (JCR)2
Financial and Capital Policy (P43–44) Review of Operations (P46–51)
Care for People, Care for Earth The Asahi Kasei Group’s Vision for the Future of People and the Earth (P19–21),
Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality and a Circular Economy (P22–26)
Compliance Materiality (P19), Risk Management (P62–64)
Communication Human Resource Strategies (P39–41),
Health and Productivity Management (P42)
Challenge/Connect Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality and a Circular Economy (P22–26) New Business Creation (P29–33) Digital Transformation (P34–38)Challenge
CommunicationCompliance Connect
Sustainable growth of corporate value (average between fiscal 2018 and 2020)
Net sales ¥ 2,142.7 billion
Operating income ¥186.2 billion
EBITDA ¥ 304.8 billion
EPS ¥ 79
ROE 8.1 %
ROIC 6.8 %
Value Creation Model
Environment & Energy Mobility Life
Material Home
& LivingHealth Care
18Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Governance Asahi Kasei is constantly pursuing an optimal state of corporate governance. ( P53–56)
Compliance/ sincerity
While strictly following laws, regulations, and internal rules, Asahi Kasei strives to practice a high level of corporate ethics while engaging in various business activities in good faith. All executives and employees of the Asahi Kasei Group adhere to the Asahi Kasei Group Code of Conduct and undergo thorough training in their departments, including case study sessions in fiscal 2020.
Human rights
Asahi Kasei endorses and is a signatory to the United Nations (UN) Global Compact. In addition, we are formulating a human rights policy in accordance with the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and will imple-ment human rights due diligence to ascertain human rights violation risks in the business value chain and take action to prevent or reduce such risks.
Safety/quality
Operational Safety; Workplace Safety and Hygiene
Through our Responsible Care program, we aim to achieve zero severe industrial accidents and zero occupational injuries. We provide employees with education and training, perform risk assessments during construction in order to ensure safe and stable plant operation, and repeatedly review existing processes.
Quality Assurance
Asahi Kasei focuses on activities to improve quality in order to continue providing reliable quality to our customers. In fiscal 2020, we strengthened the quality assurance system, augmented employee training to develop human resources for managing and ensuring quality, performed on-site quality audits, and conducted verification and inspection activities.
The Asahi Kasei Group’s Vision for the Future of People and the Earth
The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to solutions for various social issues through business activities aimed at achieving sustainability. With a uniform
aspiration of “Care for People, Care for Earth” when creating value in all of our businesses, we will deliver new value in a variety of fields that contribute
to the sustainability of society.
Materiality
In fiscal 2017, we identified the important issues and themes that
we should prioritize as the materiality of the Asahi Kasei Group.
We have since added two new material issues—Initiatives toward
Carbon Neutrality and Initiatives toward a Circular Economy—in
consideration of the further growing sense of urgency regarding
the global environmental impact of climate change and resource
extraction and depletion as well as the importance of these mat-
ters to the management of the Asahi Kasei Group.
Process for Identifying Materiality1) Identification of Issues
We identified issues in light of requirements of society and our
Group Mission, Group Vision, and Group Values while making
reference to international guidelines such as ISO 26000 and the
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards as well as the evalua-
tion criteria of the major ESG rating institutions.
2) Determination of Degree of Importance
We evaluated the degree of importance both to society and to the
Asahi Kasei Group and mapped it on two axes.
3) Evaluation of Appropriateness
We verified the appropriateness of the material issues by examining
them from a diverse range of perspectives, such as through delib-
erations involving the leaders of various divisions, discussions with
outside companies, and consultations with Outside Directors.
4) Examination and Approval
The Board of Directors approved the material issues after exami-
nation at the Management Council.
Importance for the Asahi Kasei Group
Impo
rtan
ce f
or s
take
hold
ers
Biodiversity
Social contribution
Extremelyimportant
Extremelyimportant
Business Contribution to
Highest priority as premise
Governance
Global environment
Health and longevity
Comfortable life
Wastewater
Industrial waste
Safety/qualityHuman rightsCompliance/sincerity
Harmony with the natural environment Health and comfort Basic activities
Decarbonization
Circular economy
Supply chain management
Communication with stakeholders
Diversity
Human resources
Risk management
Extremely
important
( P21)
( WEB)
( WEB)
( P23, 24, 26)
( P25)
( WEB)
( WEB)
( WEB) ( WEB)
( WEB) ( P39– 42)
( P62– 64)
19Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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• Expansion of clean energy
• Transition to carbon neutrality and a circular economy
• Progress of CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Services, and Electric)
• Rising global population
• Next-generation communications revolution
• Diversifying lifestyles
• Intensifying natural disasters
• Advancement of longevity society
Material Homes Health Care
Contributing to the environment with wide variety of technology
(CO2 chemistry, semiconductors, etc.)
Contributing to the future of mobility with technology for safety, comfort,
and the environment
Contributing to healthy and comfort-able daily life with distinctive prod-
ucts and technological strength
Contributing to superior social infrastructure and comfortable living
through our know-how gained in urban markets
Contributing to healthy longevity with pharmaceuticals and medical
devices discerning the needs of the aging society
• Clean energy• Conservation of energy and improve-
ment of the environment• Contribution to carbon neutrality
and a circular economy
• Society with safe and comfortable mobility
• Comfort and convenience
• Human health
• Safety and reliability
• Comfortable and healthy life
• Achievement of society with healthy longevity
Social issues and trends
Asahi Kasei Group’s priority fields
for provision of value
Provision of value to society
Provision of Value through Our Businesses for Realizing a Sustainable Society
To achieve our vision for the future of people and the earth and
provide greater value to society, we have determined five priority
fields for provision of value and are allocating management
resources to them. These fields are Environment & Energy,
Mobility, and Life Material in the Material sector, Home & Living
in the Homes sector, and Health Care in the Health Care sector.
In these priority fields for provision of value, we will continue
contributing to the future of people and the earth through our
business activities while pursuing the development of a portfolio
of high-profitability and high-value-added businesses from the
perspective of “Care for People, Care for Earth.”
Care for PeopleContribution to secure and comfortable life and to health and longevity
Care for EarthBusiness contribution to the global environment
Environment & Energy
Mobility Life
Material Home
& LivingHealth Care
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Increasing Opportunities through Care for People, Care for Earth
Care for People Care for Earth
With the aim of creating a society in which health and longevity and a secure and comfortable
life are available to all, we facilitate high-quality medical care and fulfilling life through our tech-
nologies, products, and solutions.
We are accelerating innovations for addressing a variety of environmental issues, such as realizing
carbon neutrality and a circular economy, and offering solutions through our businesses.
Social Issues Solutions through Our Businesses
Contribution to secure and comfortable life
Storm and flood damage / Intense heat
• Resilient homes/communities (total resilience)
New styles of living and working • Homes/consumables/apparel meeting new needs
Digitalization • Products related to next-generation communications (glass fabric, etc.)
Contribution to health and longevity
Response to COVID-19 • Ventilators• Therapeutic apheresis• Virus removal filters• Surface disinfection solution• 3Cs visualization solution• Medical gowns• Masks
Facilitation of high-quality medical care
• Defibrillators• Implantable neurostimulator device• Osteoporosis treatment• Rheumatoid arthritis treatment• Immunosuppressive agent• Artificial kidneys
Social Issues Solutions through Our Businesses
Business contribution to the global environment
Circular economy • Material recycling• Chemical recycling
Carbon recycling • CO2 separation/recovery• CO2 chemistry
Next-generation energy • Alkaline water electrolysis (green hydrogen)
Electric drive vehicles • Lithium-ion battery separator• Lightweighting resins
Other environmental contribution products
• Ion-exchange membrane process for chlor-alkali electrolysis
• Purging agent for plastic molding machines• Elastomer for asphalt modification• CO2 sensors• S-SBR synthetic rubber for fuel-efficient tires• Hebel Haus™, Hebel Maison™• High-performance insulation• Biomass feedstock products• Manufacturing process for acrylonitrile• High-volume water filtration module• Bio-PLA (polylactic acid) nonwoven fabric
Carbon neutral sustainable world
Active life in the new normal
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Reuse
ReduceRecycle
Outflow
• Promotional activity
CO2
Determined to help resolve social issues, the Asahi Kasei Group contributes to solutions through business activities. As climate change and other
environmental issues become increasingly serious, the need for sustainability is greater than ever. We utilize our diverse technologies and human resources
to create new value in the pursuit of carbon neutrality and a circular economy.
Carbon neutrality and a circular economy are essential to the
achievement of a virtuous cycle of contributions to a sustainable
society and sustainable growth of corporate value. Our wide-
ranging efforts include technology for hydrogen production using
renewable energy, CO2 chemistry that uses CO2 as a resource,
businesses and products that contribute to reduced environ-
mental impact across the entire life cycle, and recycling
technology. Looking ahead toward 2050, we are developing
technologies and supplying products and services that contrib-
ute to life and living for people around the world.
H2Renewable
energy
Solar power Wind power Hydroelectric power
Blue enclosures indicate Asahi Kasei’s major areas of contribution
Green fuel
Green methanol
Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality and a Circular Economy
Product development
Raw material
Consumers (use)
Recycled material
Collection
Chemical products
(manufacturing)
Electricity
• Alkaline water electrolysis system
P23
• Recycled material• Biomass feedstock
• Resource conservation (thinner parts)
• Greater recyclability
• Material recycling• Chemical recycling
P25
• Elucidating mechanism of microplastic formation
• Greater durability• Biodegradable technology (research subsidy)
• CO2 separation/recovery• CO2 chemistry P24
Household electricity consumption
Industrial electricity consumption Electric vehicles
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Nobuko UetakeDeputy Senior General Manager,
Green Solution Project
Development of Business Models for Supporting a Hydrogen Society
Achieving a hydrogen society requires coordination
that extends beyond the production of hydrogen to
encompass aspects of the supply chain such as stor-
age, transportation, and use. The Asahi Kasei Group
is a member of the Japan Hydrogen Association and
is engaged in joint hydrogen-related initiatives with
various companies. For example, we participate in a
NEDO verification project in Namie Town, Fukushima
(FH2R). We are also advancing joint initiatives over-
seas, such as supplying an alkaline water electrolysis
system as we participated in the ALIGN-CCUS project
for realizing a low-carbon society in Germany, where
the transition to a hydrogen society is gaining
momentum. We are working to create higher-value
business models with hydrogen as a key focus.
Quest for Practical Application of Hydrogen Energy
The alkaline water electrolysis system we are devel-
oping is expected to reduce total cost through
increased scale. Nevertheless, total cost with our
alkaline water electrolysis system still exceeds the
target set forth in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry’s The Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and
Fuel Cells. We need further innovation, and we are
advancing technology development to reduce cost
and improve reliability by scaling up the equipment.
At the same time, we are looking at projects where
conditions such as electricity cost, power supply sta-
bility, and other characteristics of the location and
customer may enable commercialization as soon as
possible. We will continue to work together with other
relevant companies in order to achieve a level of cost
that will make a hydrogen society possible.
Leadership in Creating a Hydrogen Society
The Asahi Kasei Group is aiming for the practical use of low-
cost green hydrogen derived from renewable energy through
the development and verification of an alkaline water electroly-
sis system. Hydrogen is garnering global attention as a next-
generation form of energy, and we are working to meet high
expectations for the future of hydrogen by allocating manage-
ment resources to this area in order to play a leadership role in
the creation of a hydrogen society.
Around the time of our founding we began producing ammo-
nia using hydrogen obtained through water electrolysis, and in
1975 we commercialized the ion-exchange membrane process
for chlor-alkali electrolysis. With technology built up over many
years, Asahi Kasei is now the only company in the world that sup-
plies both electrolysis systems and ion-exchange membranes
developed in-house, which is a significant competitive advantage.
In March 2020, our alkaline water electrolysis system with
the world-leading scale of 10 MW was adopted at the
Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R), a project
supported by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO). Hydrogen supply using this
system has begun, and we are advancing verification in order to
achieve higher levels of performance, lower equipment costs,
and increased durability as the development project proceeds
toward commercialization.
Green Solution Project
The Green Solution Project was launched in April 2021 with the mission of creat-
ing businesses that contribute to carbon neutrality. Directly reporting to the
President of Asahi Kasei, this project examines the potential of various business
models for contributing to decarbonization based on an overarching view of the
decarbonization market and the Asahi Kasei Group’s various technologies in addi-
tion to hydrogen production technology for the development of action plans.
Satoru TamuraAsahi Kasei Senior Executive Officer
Senior General Manager, Marketing &
Innovation /
Senior General Manager, Green Solution
Project
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Utilization of CO2 as a Resource
Japan is pursuing a goal of achieving carbon neutrality in 2050
by cutting GHG emissions as well as by promoting carbon recy-
cling by using CO2 as a resource to address both global warming
and resource issues. The concept of finding ways to utilize emit-
ted CO2 as a measure for combating global warming originates in
Japan, and many Japanese companies are advancing develop-
ment projects based on this concept. The global carbon
recycling market is projected to reach the scale of ¥5.7 trillion in
2030. For commercial application in the efficient collection of
CO2 from factory exhaust gas and other sources to be used as a
resource, there is a need to further reduce the cost of CO2 sepa-
ration and recovery systems.
The Asahi Kasei Group has been engaged in the develop-
ment of CO2 chemistry, which uses CO2 as a raw material, since
the 1980s. Our decision to become involved in this field was
based on our desire to help the world create a carbon neutral
society. By utilizing core catalyst and chemical process technolo-
gies, we have already commercialized CO2 chemistry technology
to manufacture chemical products using CO2, and we have
licensed the technology to several chemical manufacturers. We
are also developing innovative processes for a CO2 separation
and recovery system. These efforts will be advanced alongside
the development of hydrogen-related business to help the chem-
istry industry achieve carbon neutrality.
World-Leading Green ChemistryThe CO2 chemistry technology of the Asahi Kasei Group has been
commercialized in a process to manufacture polycarbonate,
which is used for a wide range of applications including DVDs,
Blu-ray discs, housings for smartphones and home electronics,
automotive light covers, and windows for airplanes and high-
speed trains. We are also developing a process to produce isocy-
anates using CO2 as a raw material. Once completed, this
process is expected to be applied in the production of a variety of
polyurethane materials, such as foams, cushions, thermal insula-
tion, elastomers, paints, adhesives, and fibers.
Regarding CO2 separation and recovery, we are developing
selective CO2 adsorption technology using zeolite, which is an
excellent CO2 adsorbent. Management resources are increas-
ingly being allocated to this development with the aim of com-
mercialization as early as 2025. The combination of carbon
recycling using CO2 separation and recovery systems and CO2
chemistry together with CO2-free hydrogen produced with alka-
line water electrolysis technology has the potential to accelerate
advances in green chemistry as well as reductions in the carbon
footprints of various products.
While we aim to commercialize the isocyanate production
technology in 2030, we are targeting the commercialization of a
special polyurethane intermediate in 2026. We will begin trial
sales of this material, which can reduce energy consumption in
relation to automotive paints, in 2022.
Leveraging our position as the pioneer in commercializing
polycarbonate manufacturing technology using CO2 as a
resource, we can lead the chemical industry’s effort for decar-
bonization by supplying chemical compounds and chemical
products synthesized from CO2 and hydrogen derived from
renewable energy.
Carbon Recycling—A Proactive Approach to Global Warming
The achievement of carbon neutrality requires the adoption of energy sources
with fewer CO2 emissions and efforts for reducing energy consumption. The sep-
aration, recovery, and use of CO2 as a resource, a process known as carbon
recycling, is also being researched as an important means of reducing green-
house gas emissions. Carbon recycling is garnering attention from the Japanese
government, which released a carbon recycling technology road map in 2019
clarifying the technological and cost-related hurdles needing to be cleared as
well as the steps to be taken going forward.
Green Chemistry Framework Based on Carbon Recycling and
Hydrogen Derived from Renewable Energy
Chemical product synthesis
technologies
Specialty chemical products
Synthetic rubber, elastomers, fibers,
coating materials, engineering plastics, etc.
Fuel
General-purpose plastic
Alkaline water
electrolysis technology
CO2 separation
and recovery technology
CO2
Chemistry
Polycarbonate, isocyanate
Methanol, ethanol, etc.
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Corporate Information
Contribution to a Circular Economy
Contributing to a circular economy is a priority for the Asahi
Kasei Group along with reducing greenhouse gas emissions in
the realization of a carbon neutral sustainable society. Several
challenges need to be tackled in order to implement a circular
economy within society. The material industry has an extremely
important role to play in overcoming these challenges, and we
are proactively advancing trials aimed at fulfilling this role.
Development of Recycling TechnologyThe Asahi Kasei Group, along with three business partners as
well as academic collaborators, is developing polyethylene mate-
rial recycling technology that allows recycled resins made from
used plastic chips to be utilized in toiletry containers. In 2020,
this initiative was incorporated into a NEDO project for developing
innovative plastic resource recycling process technology. We are
also advancing development of technology for chemical recycling
of polystyrene by thermally decomposing used polystyrene prod-
ucts into the raw material styrene monomer. Construction of a
facility for this purpose is scheduled.
Recycling Chain TraceabilityIn May 2021, Asahi Kasei launched the BLUE Plastics
(Blockchain Loop to Unlock the value of the circular Economy)
Project. This project to recycle used plastic employs the block-
chain technology of IBM Japan, Ltd., with the aim of developing a
digital platform for tracking resource recycling rates as well as the
recycling chains for products made using recycled plastic. The
ability to view recycled plastic usage rates in recycled materials
and to track companies involved in recycling chains can stimu-
late changes in consumer behavior. We anticipate use by general
consumers as well as by companies. For consumers, blockchain
technology traceability will make it possible to view the histories of
recycled plastic products by scanning QR codes printed on the
products. The traceability of previously difficult-to-track recycling
processing will create an environment in which anyone can use
recycled plastic with peace of mind. We plan to begin trial distri-
bution and verification with toiletry containers made using resins
that employ this system in fiscal 2021. Looking ahead, Asahi
Kasei will expand the scope of resins and applications for which
this platform can be used by creating a digital platform offering
open access to anyone. We are currently advancing initiatives for
creating such a platform and deploying it in Asia.
Role of Partners in the Polyethylene Material Recycling Technology Development Project
Academia
Physical property reproducing technology:Fukuoka University
Mechanism analysis:Kobe University
Collection and sorting
Final productMaterial mix and
pelletization
Molding
Prototype consumer-use
smartphone app
Toyama Kankyo Seibi Co., Ltd.
25Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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12
10
8
4
2
6
01995 202020192018201720162013
Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Business Activities
In addition to raising corporate value by helping reduce green-
house gas (GHG) emissions through operations around the
world, the Asahi Kasei Group is working to lower GHG emis-
sions from our business activities in order to minimize the
impact on the environment. Climate change is becoming an
increasingly serious issue throughout society. The reduction of
GHG emissions is central to our efforts to combat climate
change. We are pursuing emissions reductions from various
aspects to ensure that we are able to preserve a healthy envi-
ronment for future generations.
GHG Emissions Reduction Targets and EffortsAs seen in trends such as the adoption of the Paris Agreement,
there is an increasingly international movement toward carbon
neutrality. The Asahi Kasei Group has established new carbon
neutrality targets to accelerate initiatives for contributing to the
transition toward carbon neutrality.
Previously, we focused on reducing the index of GHG emis-
sions to net sales. Now we have adopted reduction targets in
terms of the absolute volume of emissions to clarify our path
toward carbon neutrality.
Efforts toward accomplishing these targets include reducing
energy consumption and adopting carbon-free energy sources,
innovating production processes, advancing research and devel-
opment, and transforming our business portfolio by transitioning
to high-value-added, low-carbon businesses.
GHG Emissions Reduction InitiativesAdoption of Carbon-Free Energy Sources
Asahi Kasei is installing equipment for reducing GHG emissions,
eliminating the use of coal-fired thermal power, and adopting
carbon-free renewable energy sources. For example, we are in
the process of upgrading and raising the capacity of the hydro-
electric power facilities that supply our plants in the Nobeoka
area of Miyazaki Prefecture with a focus on long-term use. To
fund renovations of aged facilities, we issued a green bond (envi-
ronmental bond) in 2020. The funds raised through this bond
issue will be allocated to part of the renovation work. Through
these renovations, we aim to enable increased use of renewable
energy at our facilities for decades or even a century. Other ini-
tiatives include installing solar power generation facilities at our
plants and attaching the environmental value created by the
solar panels installed on the roofs of Hebel Maison™ apartment
buildings to the electricity used at our Kawasaki Works.
Calculation of Carbon Footprint Using Digital Technology
Asahi Kasei has begun calculating its carbon footprint in a
manner that indicates the CO2 emissions associated with every
product and with each step from raw material procurement to
shipping. Our products and services are used in a variety of
industries and fields. For this reason, we are calculating initially
the footprints of only certain products as we examine and
develop the ideal framework and system with the goal of
utilizing digital technology for more extensive carbon footprint
tracking. In the future, carbon footprint information for each
product and service will be used to guide initiatives for reducing
our GHG emissions and collaborating with partners across the
supply chain.
Carbon Neutrality Targets
2050Goal to achieve carbon neutrality
(net-zero emissions)
2030Target to reduce GHG emissions by 30% or more
(compared with fiscal 2013)
GHG Emissions(Million tons CO2 equivalent)
Note: Direct GHG emissions from business activities as indicated by Scope 1 (direct GHG
emissions) and Scope 2 (indirect GHG emissions from use of electricity, heat, and
steam supplied by other companies)
(FY)
Notes: 1. Figures represent total of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions
2. Data for 1995 excludes overseas emissions
26Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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In accordance with the TCFD recommendations, we examined
changes that are expected to occur due to climate change and
their impact on our business in the three business sectors of
Material, Homes, and Health Care. The results revealed that the
financial impact on Health Care would be negligible. While cli-
mate change is expected to have a significant impact on Asahi
Kasei as a whole from a financial perspective over the medium
to long term, it became clear that the financial risk to the
Company as a whole is limited because its business portfolio
comprising diverse businesses gives rise to both opportunities
and risk abatements. In addition, we confirmed that we have the
potential to capture new opportunities related to climate change
through our diverse businesses and technologies. We will reduce
the risks of climate change and continue to develop as a com-
pany that coexists with the environment while viewing adaptation
and mitigation measures as business opportunities, thereby con-
tributing to the achievement of a sustainable society.
Corporate GovernanceAsahi Kasei regards climate change measures as important man-
agement issues, and discusses their implementation status at
meetings of the Management Council and the Board of Directors.
In order to accurately understand the issue of climate
change and discuss measures for addressing it, members of
executive management discuss issues related to sustainability,
including climate change, at meetings of the Sustainability
Committee, chaired by the Asahi Kasei President, with results
reported to the Board of Directors. In addition, our Global
Environment Committee, chaired by the Executive Officer for
Technology Functions, discusses issues related to the environ-
ment, as a subcommittee of the Sustainability Committee.
Strategy (Analysis of Opportunities and Risks)
Basis of analysis
• Scenarios assume temperature rises of 4°C and less than 2°C by 2050
• Examination covers our Material, Homes, and Health Care sectors
• Analysis of the impact on our existing business portfolio
Aspiration of the Asahi Kasei Group
Capability to changeDiversity
Strengths of Asahi Kasei
Businesses contributing to a sustainable society
Creating opportunities
Reducing risks
Opportunities Important Changes Main Opportunities Principal Initiatives
4°C scenario
Serious storm and flood
damage
• Increase in need for disaster-resilient housing • Greater emphasis on resilience in house building and urban development
- Hardware/software - Unit homes/community
Increase in heatstroke and
infectious diseases
• Expansion in demand for existing and new pharma-
ceuticals and acute critical care products
• Provision of acute critical care pharmaceuticals and medical devices for heatstroke and infectious diseases
• Provision of consumables, equipment, and services for biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes
Less than 2°C
scenario
Decarbonization• Promotion of the spread of net zero-energy houses
(ZEH)2 through government policies
• Development of carbon-negative homes and communities
Spread of electric vehicles
(EVs)
• Increase in EV-related demand
• Battery components
• Materials for reducing vehicle weight
• Provision of components and systems for next-generation mobility
• Strengthening of collaboration with automobile and battery manufacturers
Advent of a hydrogen society• Increase in demand for water electrolysis using
renewable energy
• Utilization of alkaline water electrolysis system
1 TCFD: Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. The TCFD was established and its recommendations were officially announced by the Financial Services Board in 2017.2 ZEH: Houses with a net energy consumption of zero or less as achieved through advanced insulation and energy saving combined with power generation such as solar
Physical risks
Transition risks
Initiatives Regarding Climate Change Disclosure Based on the TCFD1 Recommendations
27Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Risks Important Changes Main Risks Principal Countermeasures
4°C scenario
Serious storm and flood
damage
“Physical” production risks
• Suspension of production due to plant damage
• Disruption of raw material supply due to damage incurred by suppliers
• Continuous revision of BCP and reinforcement of preemptive response (review
of inventory levels, study of multiple suppliers/sites, etc.)
Rise in temperature“Human” production risks
• Deterioration of working environment and productivity at construction sites
• Promotion of industrialization and utilization of IT in housing construction
Less than 2°C
scenarioDecarbonization
• Rise in costs due to stricter regulations3 (manufacturing and raw material costs)
• Changes in materials needs (decarbonization requirements, necessary
specifications)
• Expansion in utilization of renewable energy, etc.
• More efficient energy use; development and commercialization of industrial
processes for decarbonization
• Decarbonization of raw materials
3 Annual costs of approximately ¥40 billion if multiplying our fiscal 2020 GHG emissions of approximately four million tons by a hypothetical carbon tax of ¥10,000 per ton
4 Direct GHG emissions from business activities as indicated by Scope 1 (direct GHG emissions) and Scope 2 (indirect GHG emissions
from use of electricity, heat, and steam supplied by other companies)
Risk ManagementWe examine risks and opportunities and formulate policies from
the perspective of the “Care for Earth” concept in our medium-
term management initiative.
In addition, we incorporate the aspect of sustainability,
including climate change, into our decision criteria for allocating
management resources, and confirm the status of GHG emis-
sions when undertaking investments and other major
expenditures.
We calculate total GHG emissions for the Asahi Kasei Group
annually, and the Board of Directors and other bodies manage
progress toward our targets.
Metrics and TargetsThe Asahi Kasei Group has established the following GHG emis-
sions targets:
2050 Goal to achieve carbon neutrality (net-zero emissions)4
2030 Target to reduce GHG emissions by 30% or more4
(compared with fiscal 2013)
Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we did not see a significant
reduction in global GHG emissions. To achieve a sustainable
society, we believe it is necessary to further accelerate our emis-
sions reduction initiatives. Accordingly, on May 25, 2021, we
announced new GHG emissions targets, changing our reduction
targets from those based on emissions intensity (emissions
volume / net sales) to those based on absolute emissions. In
addition to reducing GHG emissions associated with our busi-
ness activities, we contribute to reducing society’s GHG emis-
sions through our diverse technologies and businesses as a vital
part of our global warming countermeasures.
Carbon neutral sustainable world
Reduce our own GHG emissions
2050 Goal to achieve carbon neu-trality (net-zero emissions)4
2030 Target to reduce GHG emissions by 30% or more (compared with fiscal 2013)4
Key points of our initiatives
Reduction of energy use /
decarbonization of energy /
innovation of manufacturing
processes / R&D / business
portfolio transformation
Contribute to reducing society’s GHG emissions
• Environment & Energy
• Mobility
• Life Material
• Home & Living
Major perspectives
Renewable energy / energy
saving / electricity storage /
hydrogen / EVs / CO2 separation,
recovery, and use / weight
reduction / extended product
lives / heat insulation / ZEH / CO2
sensors / utilization of digital
technologies / circular economy,
etc.
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M&I Acceleration System (MAS)
Entry ExitVirtual venture capital and accelerator functions(Providing means and opportunities
to accelerate commercialization projects)
Management resources
Human resource development
Internal/external networks
Administrative functions
Diverse Approaches to New Business Creation
R&D-Oriented ApproachThe Asahi Kasei Group has developed numerous core technolo-
gies through wide-ranging technical synergies. These synergies
were made possible thanks to our ability to combine our diverse
human resources, varied technologies, and multifaceted busi-
nesses. One of our strengths is the capacity to produce a
virtuous cycle entailing the utilization and application of core
technologies from new perspectives, the creation of unprec-
edented businesses, and the subsequent generation of further
technical synergies. Meanwhile, Corporate Research &
Development operates a “stage-gate” system to optimally allo-
cate management resources to research projects in stages
ranging from the discovery stage to the commercialization stage.
With this stage-gate system, we involve relevant divisions in the
development process from an early stage to promote the com-
mercialization of new technologies through a concerted
group-wide effort. This approach helps clarify the current stage
of development projects and ensures that decisions related to
when a given project will be moved on to the next stage will not
be made purely based on a technical perspective. Rather, these
decisions are made through evaluations based on numerous
perspectives, such as those related to business strategies,
patent strategies, and sustainability.
Group-wide Marketing ApproachNew business creation is being accelerated from a marketing-
oriented approach that extends beyond the Asahi Kasei Group’s
three business sectors. Established in April 2019, the Marketing
& Innovation unit is developing an innovation platform for sup-
plying market value by leveraging our comprehensive, cross-
business organizational capabilities while working to establish ties
with external partners. We look to carry out effective marketing
activities and create new businesses and business models on a
group-wide basis. The M&I Acceleration System (MAS) in-house
innovation framework is one system that functions toward this
end. MAS seeks to produce virtual venture capital and accelerator
functions in-house, and it has already generated success. MAS
makes it possible to effectively connect and utilize the necessary
management resources, internal and external networks, and
administrative functions, opening the way to create new busi-
nesses beyond the reach of our established organization.
Fresh Logi™, a solution developed for the previously unex-
plored food and agriculture field, is one offering created using
New Business Creation
Creating new businesses to deliver new value for society has been a consistent part of the Asahi Kasei Group’s history. It will also be a staple in our future as
we hone the diverse core technologies we have developed over nearly a century of operation and create new businesses by connecting people and technolo-
gies both inside and outside. Our approach toward forging these connections will include partnering and merging with and acquiring other companies,
collaborating with government agencies and other organizations, making corporate venture capital investments, and conducting group-wide marketing activi-
ties. At the same time, we will take advantage of digital technologies to develop new business models and accelerate new business creation.
M&I Acceleration System (MAS)
• Starting in Marketing & Innovation
• Starting in the Asahi Kasei Group
• Starting in collaboration with other companies
• Commercialization within the Asahi Kasei Group
• Joint commercialization with other companies
• Divestment/licensing
29Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
MAS. This solution helps maintain the freshness and quality of
fruits and vegetables and thereby contributes to reductions in
food loss and CO2 emissions. By combining our Neoma Foam™
high-performance insulation with CO2 sensors, we succeeded in
the development of sealed insulated boxes. Fresh Logi™ uses
these boxes to create a logistics system that allows for the man-
agement of vegetables and other produce while maintaining
their freshness. With this system, we are forming connections
that extend beyond the Asahi Kasei Group. Specifically, we are
utilizing the Smart Agriculture Traceability (SMAGt)* platform of
Information Services International-Dentsu, Ltd., and engaging in
joint development with government and academic institutions to
develop new business models, with the aim of commercializing
Fresh Logi™ over the period from 2021 to 2022.
* A smart agriculture data distribution platform that uses blockchain technology to track
the production and transaction histories of regional agricultural products
New Business Creation Driven by Cross-Cultural Synergies
M&A-Driven ApproachM&A activities are a viable option to accelerate business portfolio
transformations for acquiring new growth foundations and
strengthening existing businesses. Asahi Kasei is proactive in
adopting this approach, as evidenced by our success in the
Health Care sector, where we are accelerating our evolution into
a global health care enterprise. In March 2020, we acquired
Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which serves as an overseas
pharmaceutical business platform for further development and
expansion of businesses. In April 2021, we acquired
Respicardia, Inc., manufacturer of an implantable neurostimula-
tor device for the treatment of central sleep apnea, which is a
new field for us. This business will serve as a central growth
driver in acute critical care, further expanding existing busi-
nesses and branching into peripheral fields.
Investment in and Co-Creation with Start-Up CompaniesThe Asahi Kasei Group is actively engaging in corporate venture
capital investments and other forms of open innovation with
start-up companies and entrepreneurs in fields with high poten-
tial for innovation. Commercialization activities are being
advanced with this regard while taking appropriate risks. One
example of these activities is LIFE CO-LAB., a housing field
Ideal Fruit and Vegetable Transportation and Storage Realized by Fresh Logi™
Connections Formed by Fresh Logi™
Traditional Fresh Logi™Disruption in cold chainlogistics �ow at points o�oading,
unloading, and transshipment
Inef�cientloading
Uninterrupted cold chainlogistics �ow through use
of sealed boxes
Up to 48 hoursUp to 48 hours
Ef�cient loadingthrough abilityto mix cargo
PrecoolingPrecooling
Transportationenvironment
data
Ordinary truck Markets/retailersDistribution baseFarmMarkets/retailersDistribution baseFarm Refrigerated truck
Tracking oftransportation
environment data
Asahi Kasei Group (Industry)
Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Neoma Foam™ and thermal insulation data
Asahi Kasei Microdevices Environmental sensor know-how and module development
Asahi Kasei Home Products Freshness maintenance know-how and network of distribution channels
CVC Searching for overseas start-ups and technologies
Informatics Initiative Data analysis and algorithm development
Asahi Kasei Advance Design and manufacture of sealed boxes
Corporate IP IP strategy
Corporate Production Technology Simulation of thermal insulation/temperature retention and improving designs
External Partner (Industry)
Information Services International-Dentsu, Ltd.
SMAGt platform
Academic Institutions
External research institutions
Appropriateness of validity tests for sealed-box transportation
Government Institutions
Miyazaki Prefecture
Visits to agricultural cooperatives and production sites
National research institutions
Establishment of freshness retention metrics and forecasting models
Other government agencies
Coordination with food distribution rational-ization committees
30Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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accelerator program for which we began accepting applications
in March 2021. Developed together with 01Booster Inc., this
program utilizes our resources to support the businesses of
start-up companies and entrepreneurs over a set period with the
goal of co-creating new businesses. Through such programs, we
look to generate innovation that would be impossible for us to do
alone while accelerating the creation of value in new and exist-
ing business fields.
New Business Creation Guided by Aggressive Intellectual Property UtilizationThe Asahi Kasei Group is advancing intellectual property (IP)
activities based on four main focuses—(1) construction of an
IP network that contributes to businesses based on a scenario
for IP rights utilization, (2) IP clearance for guaranteeing busi-
ness execution, (3) implementation of IP activities to support
globalization of businesses, and (4) contribution to business
innovation, from the perspective of IP, by digital transformation.
Systematic human resource development plans are being
implemented based on these focuses. We actively perform IP
landscaping, which leverages IP analysis for formulating and
reviewing business strategies, as one measure for business
innovation by digital transformation. Based on industry and
market information, IP information, specifically big data on
patents and research reports, is collected and processed to
formulate IP maps and associated materials. These materials
are provided to management and business units to inform
discussions about our market position, strengths, and business
opportunities, eventually leading to management and business
decisions related to matters such as M&A activities for creating
new businesses and reinforcing existing businesses. In recent
years, we have held IPL de Connect, an internal group-wide
event that gives rise to innovation, as a preliminary step to the
creation of new businesses. Advanced through discussions
based on the IP landscape, these activities promote innovation
by prompting chain reactions of awareness as connections are
made among our diverse core technologies, marketing func-
tions, and planning functions.
These IP activities have been highly recognized, and we
received an award from the Minister of Economy, Trade and
Industry in the Intellectual Property Achievement Awards pro-
gram sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
and the Japan Patent Office in April 2021.
Catalyst/process
Polymer/processing (polymer, film)
Fibers/nonwovens
Membrane/separation
Compound semiconductors/LSIs
Homes/construction materials
Pharmaceuticals
Created by Asahi Kasei using “TechRadar Vision” (a tool provided by VALUENEX Japan Inc.)Each dot indicates a patent held by the Asahi Kasei Group in Japan.
Asahi Kasei’s Core Technologies
Wire-grid polarizing film
LSIs
Optical fiber Fibers
Nonwovens
Food wrapping film
Photomask pellicles
Anti-quake structures
Aerated concrete
Compound semiconductors (magnetic and other sensors)
Photosensitive resins, films
Foam, insulation material
Resin molding
Polyamide
Polyacetal
Paint materials, SB latex (functional coatings)
Purging compound for molding machines
Polycarbonate
Acrylonitrile catalyst
Prescription drugsPolyethylene
Ion-exchange membrane
Modified polyphenyl-ene ether resinSynthetic rubber
Diagnostic reagents, DNA, peptides
Blood purification, artificial kidneys
Pharmaceutical additives
Virus removal filters
Hollow-fiber membrane
LIB separator
Adhesives
Semiconductor devices
31Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Q You proposed CVC to the President, and it was
established in 2008. Why did you choose CVC as a
vehicle for creating new businesses and what benefits do its
investments deliver?
Around the year 2000, I took part in a joint project with a start-
up in San Diego and witnessed firsthand the business
development capabilities of such companies. Technologies
developed by start-ups are acquired by other companies and
used for creating new businesses. The dynamism of such busi-
ness development, whereby technologies are monetized, is not
often seen in Japan. I thought that establishing CVC would pro-
vide a means to outsource business development, which is a
weak point of Japanese companies.
The Asahi Kasei Group carries out R&D in the business divi-
sions and at the corporate level, and utilizes M&A as means to
create new businesses. However, R&D by business divisions
takes at least three years while corporate R&D, involving the
development of medium- to long-term projects across the
Group, takes approximately seven to ten years. In contrast, M&A
projects can be developed into new businesses soon after acqui-
sition. In terms of time spans, I view CVC as a method for bridg-
ing the gaps not covered by R&D and M&A, and representing
the difference between the approaches of either creating new
businesses based on technology within Asahi Kasei or by
making investments for acquisitions.
One of the advantages of venture capital investment is that
start-ups focus on markets that do not yet exist. Making invest-
ments allows us to monitor new markets and assess when best
to proceed to the next stage while deepening our understanding
of such markets. In addition, investing in “white spaces” adja-
cent to our existing businesses enables us to secure future
candidates for acquisition and increase our pipeline for creating
new businesses. In other words, I proposed the establishment of
CVC based on my belief that a new framework for new business
creation would become increasingly necessary going forward,
which ultimately led to my current role.
Q How do Asahi Kasei’s uniqueness and competitive edge
contribute to CVC’s activities?
Asahi Kasei’s key strengths of “diversity” and “capability to
change,” as well as its adaptability to change and its egalitarian
corporate culture as symbolized by its use of less formal titles,
all serve as advantages in promoting CVC’s activities. To give an
example, decisions on investment amounts of up to $5 million
per company are delegated to the Investment Committee with-
out the need for head office approval. This approach facilitates
decision-making at approximately the same speed as that of
venture capital companies in the United States and Europe,
which acts as a major strength for CVC. Start-up companies
move quickly and opportunities to invest in them are limited.
The management understands CVC’s role and recognizes it as an option for new business creation
Takashi MorishitaAsahi Kasei America, Inc.
General Manager, Corporate Venture Capital
Joined Asahi Kasei in 1986. Established Corporate Venture Capital
(CVC) at Asahi Kasei in 2008 and became General Manager. Moved
base of operations to Silicon Valley in 2011. CVC has invested in
more than 30 start-ups, and led to the 2011 acquisition of Crystal IS,
Inc., a U.S. company developing UVC LEDs utilizing aluminum
nitride substrate, and the 2018 acquisition of Senseair AB, a
Swedish company developing gas sensor modules.
(Website: http://www.asahikaseiventures.com/)
New Business Creation Utilizing Corporate Venture Capital
32Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Therefore, we must match the speed of start-up companies by
putting in place quick and flexible decision-making mechanisms
on the investment side in order to make CVC function effectively.
Some of Asahi Kasei’s businesses originally began as joint
ventures, and the company embraces the process of incorporat-
ing external technologies and making them its own. I believe
that this corporate climate and culture is among the reasons
why Asahi Kasei’s management team has recognized CVC as a
useful entity for new business creation.
Q Please tell us about CVC’s activities in different regions
and its investment portfolio strategy over the medium
to long term.
By region, we will continue investing in the United States, since it
will undoubtedly continue to produce new businesses as the epi-
center of innovation. We will make Europe the focus of our invest-
ments going forward as the public and private sectors in that
region are working proactively to establish a “green recovery”
from COVID-19, and we expect to see the creation of new mar-
kets there based on a circular economy. We just entered China in
fiscal 2020 and are at the stage for exploring possibilities in this
market. As China leads the world in electric vehicles and related
service businesses, we will carry out monitoring centered on this
market and on materials.
Going forward, we expect to see
the creation of rapidly accelerating
new businesses, such as industrial
IoT and telehealth (healthcare pro-
vided remotely) due to the changes in
workstyles and lifestyles triggered by
COVID-19. To prepare for unpredict-
able market developments, I believe
that we must revise the course of our investments while monitor-
ing trends. Last year, we primarily invested in spheres including
industrial IoT, housing, agriculture, digital health, and neuro-
modulation, which treats the nervous system using electrical sig-
nals. Looking ahead, I feel that we must pay close attention to
such domains while focusing on new businesses created
through the realization of a circular economy. For example, we
are beginning to see reverse innovation—whereby technologies
developed for emerging countries are deployed globally—in the
sustainability domain, a trend that is likely to spread throughout
the world going forward. Investing in domains where substantial
future earnings are expected by providing support for such
emerging countries is one investment option.
Q Fiscal 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the launch
of CVC’s activities in the United States. Could you tell
us how you have been able to continue CVC’s activities and
share with us the expertise and strengths you have gained in
the process?
The biggest reason is because of our track record. When meeting
with start-ups, three questions always come up: our fund size,
investment record, and acquisition record. As CVC has already
invested in more than 30 projects, two of which have resulted in
acquisitions, start-ups are at least willing to hear what we have to
say. The recognition within Asahi Kasei that CVC is an effective
means to create new businesses is also crucial. With the
Company’s understanding that CVC’s activities require a certain
amount of time, we work to create tangible results while consid-
ering how many projects we can implement and the time needed
for implementation. I believe these efforts will help deepen
understanding of CVC’s activities both internally and externally.
Another reason behind our ability to maintain CVC’s activi-
ties is that we place the utmost importance on our relationships
with start-ups. Since local networks cannot be easily developed
by those on assignment from Japan, we have increased our
number of locally hired employees and are leveraging their net-
works. As an organization with technologies and analytical
capabilities in a wide range of business fields, Asahi Kasei can
offer technical advice, equipment, and other support. I believe
continuing to be a good corporate partner over the long term by
providing financing and a variety of expertise will enhance our
standing among start-ups and venture capital companies,
thereby making it easier for us to become involved in outstand-
ing projects.
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Road Map of the Asahi Kasei Group’s DX Promotion
The Asahi Kasei Group has created a road map that breaks
down its DX initiatives into four phases—the Digital Introduction
Period (from 2018), the Digital Deployment Period (from 2020),
the Digital Creation Period (from 2022), and the Digital Normal
Period (from 2024)—and lays out the content of the initiatives in
each phase. Going forward, we will implement DX initiatives in
each phase established under the road map.
Initiatives during the Digital Introduction PeriodDuring the Digital Introduction Period, which began in 2018, we
promoted functional DX initiatives, including materials informat-
ics (MI), production technology innovation, IP landscaping, and
digital marketing. Through these efforts, we launched approxi-
mately 400 projects on a group-wide basis and worked to
resolve various issues through collaboration between personnel
of DX support and promotional divisions and personnel of each
business.
Materials Informatics (MI)
With the aim of dramatically improving development speed and
developing exceptional innovative materials, we are promoting the
utilization of MI, which involves enhancing the efficiency of R&D
activities on materials through the use of AI and statistical analy-
sis. The promotion of MI has already led to the successful devel-
opment of innovative materials within a short time frame, and we
now make use of MI in the development of nearly all of our prod-
ucts. In addition, we are proceeding with preparations to establish
a foundation for the more advanced utilization of MI, including in
unmanned “smart laboratories” for material exploration. We are
also developing MI tools that can be used in sales activities.
Production Technology Innovation
We are promoting activities aimed at enhancing productivity by
utilizing digital technologies in all processes at our manufacturing
facilities. These activities involve a broad range of initiatives, such
as the automation of product inspection through the use of AI,
the enhancement of productivity through data analysis, predictive
detection of equipment abnormalities, and the use of IoT tools to
make tasks more advanced, less labor intensive, and more pre-
cise. We aim to commence the operation of smart factories within
a few years as we further promote DX at production sites.
IP Landscaping
We formulate overarching maps of IP by using digital technolo-
gies to collect and process various IP-related information, such
as patents and research reports. By analyzing this information
alongside industry and market information, these maps help us
identify the Asahi Kasei Group’s market position, business
strengths, and business development potential. For more details
on IP landscaping, please see the “New Business Creation” sec-
tion on p.29–33.
Digital Marketing
We are leveraging digital technologies as a tool to transition from
marketing based on empirical rules to marketing based on sci-
entific evidence. As part of this effort, we have introduced
customer relationship management (CRM) systems in order to
visualize information communicated between our sales repre-
sentatives and our clients. While ensuring the security of our
clients’ confidential information, we are sharing data on a cross-
organizational basis and making use of such data as an asset.
Furthermore, we are drawing on digital technologies to establish
The Asahi Kasei Group views digital transformation (DX) as a means of using digital technologies to fully leverage our strengths, which are the “diversity”
and “capability to change” of our human resources, technologies, and businesses, in order to transform business models and drive value creation.
Accordingly, we will actively promote DX initiatives going forward.
Overview of the DX Promotion Road Map
Digital Transformation
Foundations of functional DX• MI, production technology innovation,
IP landscape, etc.
About 400 projects
Acceleration of group-wide DX promotion• Formulation of DX Vision
• Digital Value Co-Creation,
co-creation laboratories, etc.
Management Innovation through DX• Business model transformation,
valuing intangible assets
• Utilization in management decision-making
• Utilization in human resource management,
etc.
from 2024Digital Normal Period
from 2018Digital Introduction
Period
from 2020Digital Deployment
Period
from 2022Digital Creation
Period
All employees gain mindset of digital utilization
All employees become digital human resources
34Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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contact points with our clients, including holding virtual exhibi-
tions that utilize virtual reality in the Homes sector.
Initiatives during the Digital Deployment PeriodWe have transitioned from the phase of solidifying foundations
for functional DX initiatives to a phase in which we will expand
the scope of our DX promotion on a group-wide basis. During
this phase (from 2020 to 2022), we are working to reinforce our
foundation for accelerating group-wide DX promotion.
Development of the DX Vision
In May 2021, the Asahi Kasei Group formulated DX Vision 2030,
which states our intention to co-create “healthy living” and “a
future world full of smiles” through borderless connections
enhanced by digital innovation. By doing so, we presented a
vision for the world we wish to create by 2030 through DX. By
sharing DX Vision 2030 with stakeholders both inside and out-
side, we will accelerate the co-creation of the value we offer to
society by utilizing digital technologies to transform our business
models with the aim of realizing healthy, secure, safe, and com-
fortable lifestyles as well as a world where there is less burden on
the environment.
Establishment of Digital Value Co-Creation
We established Digital Value Co-Creation in April 2021. The mis-
sion of this organization is to draw on digital technologies to
leverage the Asahi Kasei Group strength of “diversity” to drive
business model transformation and value creation, entrench DX
in group-wide management, and accelerate reforms through
digital value co-creation. Under Digital Value Co-Creation, we
integrated the Smart Factory Initiative and Informatics Initiative,
which promoted DX in Corporate Production Technology and
Corporate Research & Development, respectively, together with
Corporate IT Management. We also newly established the
Marketing Technology Initiative and Strategy & Co-Creation. We
aim to achieve seamless and powerful collaboration between IT
and digital technologies. While enhancing production, manufac-
turing, and R&D efficiency, establishing vital infrastructure, and
improving quality, we will also work to create new sales and mar-
keting approaches and develop new business models through
the use of digital technologies.
In addition, we will effectively utilize digital technologies in
relation to sustainability, such as reducing our CO2 emissions
and ensuring optimal plant operation, as well as for reform of
workstyles and enhancement of employee engagement.
Asahi Kasei will co-create “healthy living” and “a future world full of smiles” through borderless connections enhanced by digital innovation.
Crossing boundaries and forming connections with the power of digital
To create new value for society, we will resonate
across countries and cultures and co-create
across companies and organizations.
“Healthy living” and “a future world full of smiles”
We will help realize healthy, secure, safe, and
comfortable lifestyles to create a world full of
smiles for future generations.
DX promotion in overall business and management Strategy & Co-CreationStrategy
Sales and marketingDX promotion
R&D DX promotion
Manufacturing and productionDX promotion
Smart Factory Initiative
Informatics Initiative
Marketing Technology Initiative
Function
IT infrastructure and security Corporate IT Management
Foundation
Digital Value Co-Creation (organization reporting to the President)
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Opened CoCo-CAFE Digital Co-Creation Laboratory
A vital part of accelerating our DX promotion is connecting inter-
nal and external knowledge to co-create value. We opened
CoCo-CAFE in January 2021 to serve as a laboratory and testing
ground for bringing together digital personnel from marketing,
R&D, and production technology divisions, and for invigorating
exchanges between internal and external parties. Through
CoCo-CAFE, we are working to strengthen our DX foundation,
transform our existing business models, and promote the estab-
lishment of new business models with the aim of offering new
value to the world.
CoCo-CAFE is being utilized as a space for pursuing chal-
lenges and co-creation; leveraging, verifying, and experiencing
digital technologies in a highly advanced manner; and cultivat-
ing digital human resources. It will also be used as a powerful
driver for new value creation by not only forming connections
between in-house personnel but also enabling collaboration
between industry, academia, and government bodies.
Cultivation and Reinforcement of Digital Human Resources
While aiming to have all employees serve as digital human
resources who engage in their work with a high awareness of digi-
tal technology utilization, we will make proactive efforts to recruit
and cultivate digital professional human resources who are able to
leverage advanced digital technologies and data to resolve business-
related issues and create new value and business models.
Promotion of DX Educational Activities for All EmployeesWe are strengthening DX educational activities for all employees
based on the notion that it is essential to enhance the IT and digi-
tal literacy of all Asahi Kasei Group employees in order to achieve
our plans of cultivating all employees to digital human resources
in the Digital Normal Period. In April 2021 we launched our own
original Open Badge system. By visualizing employee skills, the
Open Badge system encourages independent and self-motivated
learning by promoting step-by-step acquisition of basic knowledge
on digital technologies through the use of e-learning. In addition,
we hold large-scale, in-house events, such as the company-wide
DX conference, to provide opportunities for employees to
learn about successful examples of DX promotion.
Furthermore, our digital co-creation laboratory CoCo-CAFE serves
as a space for DX-related learning and collaboration between
internal and external parties. At CoCo-CAFE, co-creation activities
are being carried out in a highly proactive manner.
We are also implementing training programs to turn busi-
ness managers into DX leaders who understand the importance
of DX and can promote it on their own initiative.
Recruitment and Cultivation of Digital Professional Human ResourcesWe have established KPIs for securing and enhancing three
types of human resources and are systematically implementing
recruitment and cultivation activities accordingly. The three
types of human resources we aim to secure and enhance are
personnel who understand the background of DX issues and
can organize and resolve business-related issues based on that
understanding; personnel who can practically apply and utilize
data science in a manner that responds to various issues; and
personnel who possess and can leverage knowledge of informa-
tion processing, AI, and statistics. By targeting these types of
human resources in carrying out our recruitment and cultivation
activities, we will increase the number of digital professional per-
sonnel who can promote advanced digitalization activities to 230
by the end of fiscal 2021.
Level 5 Thought Leader
Level 3 Experienced
Level 4 Expert
Level 5 Thought Leader
Level 3 Experienced
Level 4 Expert
Plan for all employees to bedigital human resources
Digital professionalhuman resources
Digital professionalcandidates
Open Badge
Level 1 KnowledgeUnderstanding
the basics
Level 2 Skill
Possessing skills and knowledge that can be applied to work
Level 3 ExperiencedAbility to actually
utilize DX to improve work processes, etc.
Level 4 Expert
Ability to strengthen business
competitiveness
Level 5 Thought Leader
Ability to drive organizational and business reforms
36Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Fostering a Corporate Culture That Promotes MI
To extensively apply MI to all of our R&D projects and leverage MI to strengthen group-
wide business competitiveness, it is imperative that our laboratory researchers make use
of MI on a daily basis in their research. To that extent, we launched the MI-Hub initia-
tive, which offers original educational programs that include a computing environment
that is easily accessible to all researchers and educational materials that cater to the
actual work that our researchers perform. Many of our researchers have started to utilize
MI in their day-to-day work and, as laboratory attendance remains restricted due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, we have begun to see several successful cases where researchers
use MI to conduct material design at home and then promptly put that design to use to
develop new materials. Furthermore, communities are beginning to develop that tran-
scend the respective divisions to which our researchers who use MI belong, and this has
started to foster a corporate culture of friendly competition and mutual support.
Promoting Plant Maintenance Using Data: Project to Detect Corrosion Under Insulation
At chemical plants that have been operating for many years, the management of corrosion under insu-
lation (CUI), which is corrosion on the external surface of equipment covered by thermal insulation, is a
common and important issue for ensuring safety. Leading the way with addressing this issue, the Asahi
Kasei Group has developed a model that can predict the occurrence of CUI by collecting and analyzing
a great deal of CUI data from chemical companies that are members of the Japan Petrochemical
Industry Association (JPCA). This model has been recognized for having a higher degree of accuracy
than conventional CUI prediction methods used at JPCA member
companies, and has already been disclosed to these companies via a
digital platform. The development of this model was recognized in
fiscal 2020 with the Award of Excellence in the Fourth Infrastructure
Maintenance Awards sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry. In fiscal 2022, we will work to commercialize detection
services for CUI and other matters as we aim to further enhance the
reliability of plants through the widespread adoption of such services.
Each company: Provision of dataDiscovery of new polymer structure within short time
frame through estimation/investigation using MI
Examples of the Asahi Kasei Group’s DX Initiatives
MI educational contents
Abrasion resistance performance
Fuel vs. Abrasion efficiency resistance
Fuel
eff
icie
ncy
perf
orm
ance
Internal cloud
Polymer structure
Polymerization conditions
Composition
Mixing conditions
Physical properties
of tiresMI/AI
Optimization
Platform
Example of CUI inspection by
removing insulation
Company C
Company A
Company X
Company Y
Company Z
Detection ServicesCompany
B
MI-Hub
Consortium of chemical companies (JPCA members) Vision for commercialization
Example: Development of new S-SBR (polymer material) for fuel-efficient tires
Data collection/analysis and model development
37Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Using Digital Technologies to Achieve Sustainability
To accelerate the realization of a carbon neutral sustainable world and a circular economy using dig-
ital technologies, we will pursue various efforts to generate synergies between sustainability and DX,
including visualizing our carbon footprint and establishing plastic recycling platforms that utilize
blockchain technology. In terms of visualizing our carbon footprint, we are collecting and combining
data related to CO2 emissions throughout our entire supply chain, from raw material procurement
through to the transportation of products to customers. By doing so, we are able to confirm the
carbon footprint of each of our products as needed. We will also leverage the data collected through
this effort in future initiatives to reduce our CO2 emissions. In a similar manner, for establishing
plastic recycling platforms, not only will we introduce blockchain and other advanced technologies,
we will also position the data handled by such technologies as a source of value and leverage this
data in the creation of frameworks to recycle limited resources more efficiently, beginning with the
visualization of the recycling process.
Examples of the Asahi Kasei Group’s DX Initiatives
Generating Value through Digital Co-Creation
To create new value through such means as transforming our business
models and enhancing efficiency in a highly innovative manner, we are
actively adopting garage methodology and promoting agile development
under a thought process that emphasizes the customer’s perspective. Garage
methodology is organized into three phases: Co-Create, Co-Execute, and
Co-Operate. By pursuing and maintaining collaboration between internal and
external partners in each phase of this methodology, we are accelerating
reforms in each strategic business unit, core operating company, and corpo-
rate functional department. In the Material, Homes, and Health Care sectors,
we are working to transform business models for existing businesses by
applying garage methodology. Going forward, we will take on the challenge of
enhancing the value of the intangible assets created from the diversity of our
human resources, technologies, and businesses.
Getting more people to use what we created
Creating a vision: What kind of joy will we provide and to whom?
Creating something, having customers experience it,
and making improvements
Co-Create(Creating together)
Co-Execute(Executing together)
Co-Operate(Operating together)
CoWorking together with various partners to overcome generational viewpoints and to transcend organizational, corporate, and national boundaries
38Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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The Asahi Kasei Group’s Human Resource Strategies
Response to Changes Brought About by COVID-19The COVID-19 pandemic caused sweeping changes to the envi-
ronment in which people work such as restrictions on
commuting to workplaces and taking business trips. The result-
ing changes to behavioral patterns have also stimulated the
diversification of the values of individuals. The Asahi Kasei
Group is committed to developing comfortable workplace envi-
ronments, from the perspectives of both human resource
systems and infrastructure, for the new normal that is poised to
emerge after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. At the
same time, we have been endeavoring to improve productivity
through revisions to workstyles and the use of digital technolo-
gies. All employees are responding to the sweeping changes by
exercising ingenuity in their work and in connecting with others
both inside and outside. Going forward, we will continue to
improve employee engagement and desire to be part of an
organization in order to foster workplace environments in which
everyone is passionate about working together.
Continuous Growth of Business Driven by Lifetime Growth of EmployeesThe Asahi Kasei Group’s diverse human resources have contin-
ued to grow while creating diverse technologies and businesses
by embracing our Group Values of sincerity, challenge, and cre-
ativity. We emphasize an egalitarian corporate culture and team-
work founded on an open exchange of ideas regardless of rank
and position, as symbolized by our custom of referring to others
by name as opposed to by title. With this corporate culture, we
have continued to achieve ongoing growth driven by the core
strengths of our human resources: an unwavering dedication to
pursuing goals, the team spirit that inspires individuals to unite
toward a common goal, and a sincere commitment to customers
and to one’s work. We expect the operating environment to
remain volatile and unpredictable going forward. Faced with such
challenging circumstances, we will continue to build upon these
core strengths while encouraging our diverse, individual employ-
ees to take the initiative, regardless of age, in order to heighten
their specialties through lifetime growth. As our diverse, individual
employees grow in this manner, we will tie their growth to ongoing
business growth through effective management. That is the core
of the human resource strategies of the Asahi Kasei Group.
The Asahi Kasei Group seeks to create new value by leveraging the “diversity” and “capability to change” of our human resources, technologies,
and businesses. To support this effort, we are developing platforms that support the autonomous growth of our human resources and are conducive to
contributions from diverse individuals in accordance with our basic principles that “people are our core assets” and that “everything starts with people.”
Human Resource Strategies
Overview of the Group’s Human Resource Strategies
Before COVID-19 With COVID-19 Toward an era of greater change
Acceleration of change
Diversification of values
Ongoing measures
To achieve lifetime growth, start preliminary implementation of on-site trials and plan detailed measures
Future direction
Active use of diverse human resources/improvements in work
engagement
• Promotion of diverse workstyles (telecommuting, etc.)
• Expansion of Group Masters program
• Nurturing of the next generation of leaders
• New engagement survey, etc.
More effective measures in the “new normal”
environment
• Introduction of flexible working w/o “core” time, satellite offices, etc.
• Workstyle reform and productivity improvement utilizing IT tools
• Maintenance of individual physical and mental health
• 1-on-1 meetings, etc.
Lifetime growth
Diverse individuals maximize their capabilities
Individuals act on their own initiative and grow
Management to support growth and challenge
Renewed awareness of importance
Vibrant work environment Diverse ways of working Ways of actively embracing change Flexible management
“Everything starts with people” — for the further evolution of Team Asahi KaseiDiversity cultivated over 100 years of history and capability to change through the innovation of employees, organizations, and the company
Growth by enhancing specialization regardless of generation
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Enhancement of Human Resource Management Capacities
Workplace environments have been transformed as a result of
the COVID-19 pandemic, making online communication the
norm and creating a greater deal of acceptance toward diverse
lifestyles and workstyles. As such, the empowerment and moti-
vation of employees requires management to implement appro-
priate measures based on an accurate understanding of the
circumstances surrounding employees and organizations. Based
on this recognition, the Asahi Kasei Group launched its KSA
engagement surveys, which look to gauge metrics pertaining to
employee empowerment and growth. Work engagement is born
out of synergies between the capacities of individual employees,
exemplified in their feelings of self-efficacy and confidence and
positivity toward work, and the capacities of organizations, dem-
onstrated through support from supervisors and coworkers,
workplace discretion, and evaluations and feedback. To mea-
sure work engagement, we track conditions pertaining to the
empowerment of individual employees, relationships between
supervisors and subordinates, and workplace environments.
This information is shared within the organizations to facilitate
discussion among employees and therefore spur the autono-
mous growth of both employees and organizations.
The KSA engagement surveys are based on the empower-
ment and growth cycle model proposed by Professor Hiroya
Hirakimoto of Osaka University and use three indicators
related to individual employees and organizations: (1)
Relationships between supervisors and subordinates,
workplace environments; (2) Employee empowerment; and (3)
Action driving growth.
The gauging of these three indicators and their degree of
impact provides the following benefits:
• Ability to visualize the success or failure of past measures
• Accurate information on the current status of the organization
that can be used to guide future action
Comments from Managers Following the Implementation of KSA Engagement Surveys (questionnaire responses of managers directly overseeing subordinates)
“It was very beneficial to use the results of the KSA survey in discussions with division members to involve everyone in thinking
about ways to drive employee empowerment and growth in the workplace.”
“The KSA survey results helped me share the strengths and weaknesses of our organization with everyone.”
“The results of the KSA survey cast light on aspects of organizations that I was unaware of as a department head.
The weaknesses indicated by the survey report gave me a newfound understanding of our organization.”
“We gained a deeper understanding of our organization through the KSA survey, fostering a greater sense of solidarity
in our efforts to maintain our strong corporate culture.”
Items Gauged through KSA Engagement Surveys
Employee empowerment
Action driving growth Individual and
organizational
growth Relationships between supervisors and subordinates, workplace environments
Framework of KSA Engagement Surveys
• Support from supervisors
• Interpersonal relationships supporting work
• Encouragement of ingenuity
• Respect for diversity
• Workplace openness
• Experience-based learning
• Contributions to organization
• Problem-solving/ improvement efforts
• Job crafting
Action driving growth
• Ability to maintain positive stance (individual capabilities)- Confidence, feeling of self-efficacy
- Strength to overcome adversity
- Capacity for plotting course toward achieving goals
- Optimism
• Motivation toward work (work engagement)
Employee empowerment Relationships between supervisors and subordinates, workplace environments
40Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Group Masters Program
In implementing human resource strategies, the heightening of
the specialized skills of individual employees is as important as
the enhancement of human resource management capacities.
For this purpose, the Asahi Kasei Group has established the
Group Masters program to appoint, nurture, and reward individ-
uals who are contributing or are expected to contribute to the
creation of new businesses or the reinforcement of established
businesses as Group Masters. This program thus helps develop
a robust pool of human resources with high-level specialist
expertise and skills who are competitive inside and outside the
organization. The program defines five ranks of Group Masters.
The roles of each rank are clearly defined, and compensation
increases in line with rank, to promote the growth of human
resources while enabling us to recruit external talent. Moreover,
succession plans are put in place for Group Masters to link the
development of human resources with the cultivation of busi-
nesses in order to raise competitiveness.
Group Masters Human Resource PortfolioUnder the Group Masters program, technology fields to be
strengthened from a cross-business perspective are defined as
core technology fields, and engineers that drive the enhance-
ment of technologies in these fields are appointed as Group
Masters. For the pursuit of ongoing business growth and new
business creation over the next five to ten years, we examined
the core technologies, production technologies, expertise, busi-
ness platforms, and diverse market channels and business
models that have been developed as the source of our competi-
tiveness thus far. This examination led to the identification of the
12 core technology fields shown below including biotechnology
which was added in fiscal 2021. In addition, we have defined
the jobs and occupational fields in which specialists should be
cultivated for both specific business fields and core company-
wide functions as core platforms fields, and we are assigning the
title of Group Master to individuals capable of driving efforts in
these areas.
Executive Fellow(status equivalent to Executive Officer)
Person who newly developed or considerably
expanded a field of technology
Principal Expert(status equivalent to Managing Executive
or Senior Managing Executive)
Person who takes the lead in a field of
technology
Senior Fellow(status equivalent to Managing
Executive, Senior Managing Executive, or Executive Officer)
Person whose term as Executive
Fellow or Principal Expert
expires after retirement age but
who is expected to continue the
roles shown at right
Lead ExpertPerson ranked below Principal Expert (candidate to be Principal Expert)
ExpertPerson ranked below Lead Expert (candidate to be Lead Expert)
Actively participating in and contributing to new business creation and strengthening operations by cultivating and enhanc-ing their skills and abilities
1. Actively participating in and contributing to new business creation and strengthening operations by cultivating and enhancing their skills and abilities as a leading specialist
2. Fostering younger personnel in the relevant areas
Ranks Roles
Core platform fields
43 Group Masters
Environmental preservationR&D
Quality assuranceSupport functions
Core technology fields 128 Group Masters
Health CareHomes
Material
Business-specific fields 78 Group Masters
Fibers (polymerization, spinning, and cellulose)
Membranes and separationElectrochemistry (electrolysis and batteries)
Polymers (design, polymerization, processing, and applications)
Catalysts, chemical processes, and inorganic synthesisCompound semiconductors
Analysis and computer simulationProcess development and construction technologies
Product design and advanced controlPlant engineeringDigital innovation
Biotechnology
Group Master Ranks and Roles Group Masters Fields
41Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Health and Productivity Management
Health and Productivity Management SystemIn April 2020, we appointed a Chief Health Officer (CHO) and estab-
lished the Corporate Health Care Promotion Center as an organiza-
tion tasked with promoting health and productivity management on
a group-wide basis under the direct authority of the CHO.
Furthermore, the Statement on Management for Health was
issued in October 2020 to add a new dimension to prior health pro-
motion initiatives. To continue raising corporate value, it is
imperative to establish workplace environments in which employees
can succeed while maintaining good physical and mental health.
Accordingly, we are actively promoting health and productivity man-
agement based on the Group Health and Productivity Management
Vision described in the Statement on Management for Health.
Frameworks for advancing health and productivity manage-
ment initiatives on an integrated, group-wide basis were installed
in April 2021, when the health and productivity management
functions of major domestic sites were placed under the direct
supervision of the Corporate Health Care Promotion Center.
Overview of Health and Productivity Management InitiativesEfforts to maintain and promote the physical and mental health of
our employees and their families are at the heart of the Asahi
Kasei Group’s health and productivity management activities.
In recent years, the total number of leave days taken by employ-
ees has been increasing, causing losses in terms of both labor and
healthcare costs. Factors behind the increase in leave days include
mental health issues, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and smoking.
For this reason, steps to address these factors and help employees
achieve better physical and mental health are absolutely essential to
achieving sustainable increases to corporate value.
At the same time, we are advancing initiatives focused on
supporting the success and growth of each individual, encourag-
ing greater working satisfaction and fulfillment, and creating a
vibrant and strong organizational climate with the aim of improv-
ing productivity. We thereby hope to achieve the virtuous cycle of
contributing to sustainable society and sustainable growth of cor-
porate value described in our medium-term management initia-
tive “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021.”
Medium- to Long-Term Stance toward Health and Productivity ManagementThe Asahi Kasei Group is moving forward with measures for
raising health and productivity awareness among employees. At
the same time, we are developing health and productivity man-
agement frameworks. We hope to complete these awareness-
raising and framework development measures by March 31,
2022, and to begin full-fledged health and productivity manage-
ment activities thereafter.
Our focus over the period spanning from fiscal 2022 to fiscal
2024 will be to work to generate concrete benefits through the
efforts of major domestic sites and to ensure that these benefits
are tangible for as many employees as possible. Meanwhile, we
will look to expand the efforts of major domestic sites to smaller
independent plants in Japan as well as to overseas sites.
From fiscal 2025 forward, efforts will be directed toward
enhancing initiatives by evaluating and inspecting prior activities.
At the same time, we will tackle new challenges as we seek to
disseminate and entrench health and productivity management
practices on a group-wide and global basis and to evolve these
practices to undertake well-being management.*
* A management approach that goes beyond promoting physical and mental health to emphasize
the development of organizations in which employees are happy, able to feel tangible growth,
and go about their work with a high degree of autonomy and motivation
Success and
growth of each
individual
Greater working
satisfaction and
fulfillment
Vibrant and
strong organizational
climate
Group productivity
improvement
Contributing to sustainable society and sustainable growth of corporate value
Maintaining and promoting the physical and mental health of employees and their families
Overview of Health and Productivity Management Initiatives Medium- to Long-Term Stance toward Health and Productivity Management
• Develop health and productivity management frameworks
• Entrench philosophy, stance, and policies and improve recognition
• Commence initiatives at major domestic sites
• Commence initiatives at smaller independent plants in Japan
• Generate concrete benefits and tangible performance improvements
• Launch global initiatives
• Disseminate and entrench practices on a group-wide basis
• Evolve practices to undertake well-being management
• Tackle new challenges
FY2020–2021 FY2022–2024 FY2025–
42Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Primary Financial Metrics
FY2016 FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020
Net sales (¥ billion) 1,883.0 2,042.2 2,170.4 2,151.6 2,106.1
Operating income (¥ billion) 159.2 198.5 209.6 177.3 171.8
Operating margin 8.5% 9.7% 9.7% 8.2% 8.2%
EBITDA1 (¥ billion) 268.4 311.9 313.6 295.6 305.1
Net income per share (EPS) ¥82.34 ¥121.93 ¥105.66 ¥74.85 ¥57.49
Net income per shareholders’ equity (ROE) 10.5% 14.0% 11.1% 7.6% 5.6%
Net income per net sales (ROS) 6.1% 8.3% 6.8% 4.8% 3.8%
Total asset turnover ratio 0.84 0.89 0.89 0.80 0.73
Financial leverage 2.0 1.9 1.8 2.0 2.0
Net income per shareholders’ equity and interest-bearing debt (ROIC)2 7.8% 9.7% 8.8% 6.6% 4.9%
D/E ratio 0.35 0.23 0.31 0.52 0.45
1 Operating income, depreciation, and amortization (tangible, intangible, and goodwill)2 (Operating income – income taxes) / average annual invested capital
Koshiro Kudo, CFODirector, Senior Executive Officer
Achieving the Current Medium-Term Management InitiativeIn 2022, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Asahi Kasei’s
founding. Looking back on our history, we have constantly grown
by always providing value through our businesses to meet ever-
changing social needs based on the strengths inherent in the
“diversity” and “capability to change” of our human resources,
technologies, and businesses. Under “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021,”
our medium-term management initiative, we aim to achieve two
mutually reinforcing aspects of sustainability: contributing to
sustainable society and the sustainable growth of corporate
value. In our efforts to contribute to sustainable society, we will
provide greater value by concentrating management resources,
including human resources and technologies, in fields where we
can provide value to society. For the sustainable growth of corpo-
rate value, we will seek to continuously realize capital efficiency
(ROE) exceeding the cost of shareholders’ equity by accelerating
the transformation of our business portfolio and steadily advanc-
ing our financial and capital policy and other measures.
Enhancing Cash Generation, Reinforcing Financial FoundationsThe Asahi Kasei Group achieves steady earnings by operating
businesses in the three sectors of Material, Homes, and Health
Care. In fiscal 2020, compared with the outlook at the time of
formulating “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021,” earnings in Material were
lackluster, though on a recovery trend as the year progressed,
due to impacts of United States–China tensions and the COVID-
19 pandemic, while operating income in Homes lagged one year
behind, and performance in Health Care was strong. Meanwhile,
we endeavored to maintain and fortify our financial foundations
through measures such as greater financial discipline in light of
changes in our business environment, carefully selecting capital
expenditure and investment projects, and thoroughly
Financial and Capital Policy
43Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
(FY) (FY)2016
300
200
100
(100)
0
(200)
(400)
(300)
2017 2018 2019 2020
(89.9) (110.3)
(198.9)
(318.2)
(157.8)(193.7)
79.0
139.6
13.195.9
169.0
249.9 253.7212.1
124.5
40
30
20
0
10
80
60
40
20
0
29.1
3434
32.227.9
45.4
59.124
34 34
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
implementing appropriate control of inventories and expenses.
As a result, we were able to achieve performance that puts us
on track to achieve operating cash flow in the range of ¥600
billion to ¥700 billion, the three-year target set when formulating
the medium-term management initiative. We will continue striv-
ing to enhance our cash generation capabilities by maximizing
returns on past capital expenditure and investments and by
raising productivity, in addition to continuously improving profit-
ability and capital efficiency through the transformation of our
business portfolio.
We expect an increase in interest-bearing debt of ¥200
billion to ¥400 billion, within the range anticipated in “Cs+ for
Tomorrow 2021.” Accordingly, we will continue to undertake
financing while targeting a D/E ratio of around 0.5.
Capital Expenditure and Investments Tailored to Changes in the Business EnvironmentAmid an increasingly uncertain and obscure business environ-
ment, we intend to concentrate the allocation of resources to
capital expenditure and investments that have greater potential
for sustainable growth while remaining conscious of the cost of
capital. As a result of the more careful selection of investments
from the initial formulation of “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021,” we plan
to make decisions on capital expenditure and investments at the
level of ¥700 billion to ¥800 billion over the three-year period.
Going forward, we will proactively invest in M&A in the Health
Care sector, in increasing the production capacity of businesses
in priority fields for provision of value in the Material sector, and
in areas related to digital transformation and sustainability.
Shareholder ReturnsOur basic policy on shareholder returns is to aim for stable
dividends and continuous dividend increases from a medium- to
long-term perspective through the sustained generation of cash
flow while paying close attention to the balance between invest-
ments for growth and our financial position. Specifically, we aim
to steadily raise dividends while maintaining a payout ratio of
around 30% to 40% and considering the ratio of dividends to
shareholders’ equity. We plan to maintain dividends per share at
¥34 for fiscal 2021* and expect the dividend payout ratio over
the three years of “Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021” to be 40% or higher.* Forecast in May 2021
Overview of Our Financial and Capital Policy
Dividends per share and dividend payout ratio(¥) (%)
Cash flows(¥ billion)
Operating cash flow Investing cash flow Free cash flow Dividends per share (left scale) Dividend payout ratio (right scale)
Estimates at the time of formulating the medium-term management initiative
Current view
Financing for growth (while maintaining financial discipline) Pursuing returns above cost of capital
Borrowing capacity
D/E ratio around 0.5Increase in interest-bearing debt ¥200 to ¥400 billion
Operating cash flow
3-year total ¥600 to ¥700 billion
Capital expenditure (decision-adopted basis)
3-year total ¥800 billion (including M&A)
Shareholder returns
Growth in dividends per share as earnings expand(payout ratio of around 30%– 40%)
Expected to be within targeted range at end of FY2021
Aiming toward targeted range with enhanced cash generation
Strict selection of investments ¥700 to ¥800 billion
Returns in line with original assumption
Share buybacks performed flexibly according to circumstances
44Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Business Overview
Asahi Kasei Sustainability Photo Contest
Name Lenny Gutierrez
Company Asahi Kasei Asaclean Americas Inc.
Country/region United States
Care for People, Care for Earth
45Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Material
Standing Firm, Striding Forward
Operations in the Material sector got off to a tough start in fiscal
2020 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We
advanced our business activities with a focus on the creation of
value by capturing opportunities associated with new workstyles
and social needs. In the first half of the fiscal year, we leveraged
our robust supply systems to increase output of lithium-ion
battery separators, electronic materials, consumables, textiles,
and hygiene-related materials, demand for which was elevated
by people increasingly staying at home. In the second half of
the fiscal year we reaped the benefits of recovery in the markets
for automotive and petrochemical products.
As we move toward the 100th anniversary of the founding
of Asahi Kasei in 2022, we will reinforce our foundations for
growth through new business creation, accelerated portfolio transformation, and business model
innovation utilizing digital technologies. These efforts will be focused on the Environment & Energy,
Mobility, and Life Material among our priority fields for the provision of value. At the same time, amid
rising demand for contributions to sustainability, we will pursue sustainable growth of corporate value
through initiatives such as developing decarbonization technologies and engaging in co-creation with
other companies toward the achievement of circular economies.
Hiroshi YoshidaExecutive Officer for Material Business SectorDirector, Vice-Presidential Executive Officer, Asahi Kasei Corp.
Business Strengths
Diverse core technologies
With diverse core technologies that include catalysts, polymers, fibers, membranes, and compound
semiconductors, we are creating new value by developing applications that anticipate the changing
needs of society. We are also applying these technologies to products that benefit the global envi-
ronment, such as lithium-ion battery (LIB) separators and acrylonitrile, which we produce using
technology that reduces CO2 emissions.
Wide-ranging marketing channels
By operating in a variety of businesses, we have built relationships with a wide range of customers
in industries such as automobiles, electronics, telecommunications, clothing, food packaging, and
healthcare, and we leverage these relationships to further develop businesses. In the automotive
market, we are effectively expanding sales activities with our AKXY concept electric vehicle, which
is equipped with a broad range of Asahi Kasei materials and products.
Stable supply of high-quality products
With a diverse range of production technologies and know-how honed over nearly a century, as well
as an industry-leading commitment to Responsible Care, we are able to provide a stable supply of
high-quality products, which earns the trust of customers.
(FY)
92.4
66.5
1,200
900
600
300
0
120
90
60
30
02019 2020
991.2 1,093.1Sales composition
47.4%
Operating income composition
33.6%
FY2020
Note: Not including “Others” category and corporate expenses
and eliminationsNet sales (left scale) Operating income (right scale)
Basic Materials Performance Products
Specialty Solutions Others in Material
Basic Materials
• Acrylonitrile
• Methyl methacrylate
• Polystyrene
Main Products
Performance Products
• Bemberg™ cupro fiber
• Lamous™ artificial suede
• Dinamica™ automotive interior material
• Engineering plastics
• Synthetic rubber/elastomer
• Saran Wrap™ cling film
Specialty Solutions
• Ion-exchange membranes
• Sunfort™ photosensitive dry film
• Battery separators (Li-ion and lead-acid)
• Mixed-signal LSIs
• Hall elements
Net sales, operating income(¥ billion) (¥ billion)
Ratio of total consolidated net sales and operating income
Review of Operations
46Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
(FY)
(FY)
3
2
1
02018 20202019 Medium-term
target
0.8
3.0
2023(Forecast)
1.9
1,000
750
500
250
02021
(Forecast)20202019 Medium-term
target
520 560
850
≥1,000Acquisition of Adient’s automotive
fabrics business
Material
Basic Strategy Flexible allocation of management resources to priority fields
Responding to Operating Environment Changes Raising profitability/capital efficiency with new value provision models based on changed operating environment
Business Strategy
価価価価価価価価
Priority Fields for Provision of Value
Perceived Change Business Strategy / Way to Provide Value FY2020 Highlights
Environment & Energy
• Carbon neutral movement
accelerates worldwide
• Rapidly growing need for
technologies and solutions
that contribute to
decarbonization
System/Solution Provider
• Provide systems/solutions that
combine core technologies,
processes, and operational know-
how of materials
• Accelerate development of tech-
nologies and products that
contribute to the environment
Increased Production Capacity for Hipore™ LIB SeparatorProactively expanding businesses
focused on lithium-ion batteries for
electric drive vehicles.
Click here for details.
Mobility
• Temporary market slow-
down, but changes related
to CASE continue to present
opportunities to provide
value with materials
Material with Proposal of Usage
• Propose lightweighting, modular-
ization, and environmentally
friendly materials to meet sustain-
ability requirements for EDVs
• Strengthen marketing to key
customers
Completion of Acquisition of Adient’s Automotive Fabrics BusinessU.S. subsidiary Sage Automotive
Interiors acquired the automotive fabrics
business of Adient plc to strengthen its
business foundation in Europe, the
largest market.
Click here for details.
Life Material
• Firm demand for electronic
materials and healthcare
materials even amid the
COVID-19 pandemic
• New needs arising from
advances in next-generation
communications, changes in
hygiene awareness, and new
lifestyles
Materials Differentiated by High Performance/Function
• Provide differentiated materials
required by advancing digital
society
• Provide value to meet new needs
in healthcare and other fields with
distinctive materials and devices
Decision to Construct Second Plant for Ceolus™ Microcrystalline CelluloseThe second plant will raise production
capacity for Ceolus™ microcrystalline
cellulose, which is primarily used as an
excipient for pharmaceutical tablets, in
response to growing demand.
Click here for details.
Production capacity for Asahi Kasei LIB
separator(billion m2)
Sales at Sage Automotive Interiors(US$ million)
Wet process Dry process
47Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Net sales, operating income(¥ billion) (¥ billion)
(FY)
72.763.5
800
600
400
200
0
120
90
60
30
02019 2020
692.6704.4
Homes
Adapting and Evolving
Our ability to attract customers in order-built homes operations
was greatly limited in fiscal 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic
forced us to close or restrict entry to model homes.
This provided an opportunity for us to transform our
business model, which allowed us to enhance customer
engagement through various digital channels, leading to signifi-
cant recovery in orders. At the same time, we moved forward
with industry-leading initiatives related to sustainability and
resilience, taking part in Japan’s first project in this area and
winning several awards. As the domestic housing market con-
tracts over the medium to long term, the changes in social
structures and values brought about by the COVID-19 pan-
demic will make it more important than ever for us to flexibly
adapt to changes in our operating environment. In our core
business of order-built homes, we will seek to promote digital
transformation to enhance our home-building process and transform our business model to earn
greater appreciation from customers.
In addition, we will proactively develop new businesses with growth potential, such as homes
for seniors and medium-rise homes. Overseas, we will leverage the consolidation of Australia’s
McDonald Jones Homes to continue growing our business.
Fumitoshi KawabataExecutive Officer for Homes Business SectorDirector, Primary Executive Officer, Asahi Kasei Corp.President & Representative Director, Asahi Kasei Homes Corp.Director, Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Corp.
Homes
• Hebel Haus™ unit homes
• Hebel Maison™ apartment buildings
• Atlas™ condominiums
• Hebel Maison™ apartment rental network
• Remodeling
Construction Materials
• Hebel™ AAC panels
• Neoma Foam™ and Neoma Zeus™ phenolic foam insulation panels
Main Products
Business Strengths
Technology for robust homes
Hebel Haus™ has earned a reputation for resilience against disasters, achieved through a combi-
nation of high-performance earthquake resistance technology, Hebel™ autoclaved aerated
concrete (AAC), and Neoma Foam™ insulation with world-leading performance.
Comprehensive system to support people’s lives
One of our strengths is having a comprehensive system based on our “Long Life Home” concept to
address the era of 100-year lifespans. We value our relationships with customers and endeavor to
stay close to them at various stages of their lives. We provide long-term warranties and inspection
systems, and offer renovation and remodeling services according to changes in customers’ lifestyles.
Knowledge, expertise, and assets related to urban housing
By focusing on urban areas, we have gained the ability to propose sites and spaces based on “opti-
mal urban living” and provide consulting services accordingly. We are also expanding rental
management and other businesses related to previously built homes and using our expertise to
develop new businesses such as homes for seniors, medium-rise homes, and overseas business.
FY2020
Net sales (left scale) Operating income (right scale)
Homes Construction Materials
Ratio of total consolidated net sales and operating income
Sales composition
33.1%
Operating income composition
32.2%
Note: Not including “Others” category and corporate expenses
and eliminations
48Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Homes
Basic Strategy Reinforcing and extending value chain management
Responding to Operating Environment Changes Maintaining existing growth strategy while using digital technology to meet changing lifestyle needs; strengthening resilience
to disasters and adapting to carbon-free by leveraging our know-how for sustainable urban living
Business Strategy
Priority Fields for Provision of Value
Perceived Change Business Strategy / Way to Provide Value FY2020 Highlights
Home & Living
• Decrease in new housing
starts in Japan
• Rising need for energy-
efficient housing that
contributes to carbon-free
society and highly resilient
housing in response to
increasing severity of
natural disasters
• Diversification of lifestyle
and housing needs in era of
100-year lifespans
• Restrictions on sales
activities amid COVID-19
pandemic
Superior Social Infrastructure
• Promote sustainability and
strengthen resilience
• Improve customer satisfaction and
provide value through value chain
reinforcement across the sector
Increase in Hebel Haus™ Ratio of Net Zero-Energy HousesNet zero-energy houses using Neoma Foam™ high-performance insulation reached
66% of Hebel Haus™ unit homes delivered in fiscal 2020.
Use of Non-Fossil Fuel Power Excluded from Feed-In TariffEnvironmental value from solar power systems installed on Hebel Maison™ apartment
buildings utilized at Asahi Kasei’s Kawasaki Works.
Support for Swift Recovery from DisastersAtlas™ Kamikumamoto was completed, replacing a condominium that was damaged
during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.
A system was developed to estimate earthquake damage using seismometers installed
in Hebel Haus™ unit homes.
Leveraging Know-how to Develop New Businesses
• Accelerate development of over-
seas, homes for seniors, and
medium-rise buildings businesses
Acquisition of the Austin CompaniesThe Austin Companies, a premier Arizona residential electrical, concrete, and HVAC
group, were acquired in the U.S., joining Erickson Framing Operations LLC, a prefabri-
cated building component supplier acquired in 2018.
Click here for details.
Management Foundation Reinforcement
• Reform workstyles and improve
productivity
IT Investments for Utilizing Digital TechnologiesAdoption of tools for non-face-to-face meetings with customers and other steps to reform
work processes.
Hebel Maison™
Atlas™ Kamikumamoto
Net sales of overseas business(¥ billion)
100
50
020202019 2021
(Forecast)
18.525.8
100.0
McDonald Jones Homes becomes a consolidated
subsidiary
49Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
(FY)
Health Care
Growing Globally
In fiscal 2020, we implemented measures to advance our
evolution into a global health care enterprise, while the COVID-
19 pandemic reminded us of the importance of health care.
Notable steps for the pharmaceutical business in Japan
included the growth of an osteoporosis treatment and the
advancement of a disease awareness campaign. We strength-
ened our pharmaceutical business foundations in the United
States through the post-merger integration of Veloxis, which
we acquired in March 2020. In medical care, we expanded
our virus removal filter business serving manufacturers of
biotherapeutics, including COVID-19 treatments. Growth in our
acute critical care business centered on ventilators, other
resuscitation products, and wearable defibrillators. Our mis-
sion is to deploy our unique technological innovations to
deliver the best products, services, and solutions to health
care professionals around the world, with the aim of saving the
lives of patients and improving their quality of life (QOL). We
will accurately address the needs of the medical community
with both pharmaceuticals and medical devices in order to
make the Health Care sector a major growth-driving pillar of
the Asahi Kasei Group.
Pharmaceuticals/Medical Care
• Teribone™ osteoporosis drug
• Recomodulin™ anticoagulant
• Kevzara™ rheumatoid arthritis drug
• Envarsus XR™ immunosuppressive drug
• APS™ polysulfone-membrane dialyzers
• Therapeutic apheresis devices
• Planova™ virus removal filters
Acute Critical Care
• Defibrillators for professional use
• LifeVest™ wearable defibrillator
• Automated external defibrillators (AEDs)
• Thermogard System™ temperature management system
Main Products
Business Strengths
Providing optimal treatments with both pharmaceuticals and medical devices
Being engaged in both pharmaceutical and medical device businesses, we are able to provide a
wide range of treatments for patients. By increasing opportunities for innovation in both businesses,
especially in the United States, we are able to provide even more value to support a society of
healthy longevity.
Business platforms in orthopedics, immunology, and acute critical and cardiac care
We have business platforms focused on three fields: orthopedics, where demand for osteoporosis
treatments is increasing as the population ages; immunology, including immunosuppressive drugs;
and acute critical and cardiac care, including our market-leading defibrillators. Accordingly, we are
able to create unique products that contribute to a society of healthy longevity.
World-leading position in virus removal filters
Planova™ is the world’s first virus removal filter to be developed for use during the manufacture of
biotherapeutics such as biopharmaceuticals and plasma derivatives. The reliable high performance
and consistent quality of these filters are trusted by pharmaceutical manufacturers around the
world, earning us the top share of the global market.
Shuichi SakamotoExecutive Officer for Health Care Business Sector (joint)Director, Primary Executive Officer, Asahi Kasei Corp.Chairman & Director, Asahi Kasei Pharma Corp.Chairman & Director, Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.Board Director, ZOLL Medical CorporationBoard Director, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Richard A. PackerExecutive Officer for Health Care Business Sector (joint)Primary Executive Officer, Asahi Kasei Corp.Chairman & Board Director, ZOLL Medical CorporationBoard Director, Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Net sales, operating income(¥ billion) (¥ billion)
43.5
67.6
500
400
300
200
100
0
120
90
60
30
02019 2020
407.9
337.8
FY2020
Note: Not including “Others” category and corporate expenses and eliminations
Net sales (left scale) Operating income (right scale)
Pharmaceuticals/Medical Care
Acute Critical Care
Ratio of total consolidated net sales and operating income
Sales composition
19.5%
Operating income composition
34.2%
50Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
(FY)
(FY)
407.9
24%
0
150
300
450
600
2011 2021(Forecast)2
119.5
24%
400.0 407.9
77%77%
64%
0
25
50
75
100
100
75
50
25
0
20
10
15
5
02011
8.8
55.0
1467.6
17
7
2021(Forecast)2
2023(Forecast)
Entered critical care field with
acquisition of ZOLL
Gained pharmaceutical business platform in North America through acquisi-
tion of Veloxis
CAGR 13%
Health Care
Net sales, overseas sales
• 13% CAGR1 over past 10 years
• Driven by overseas business (reaching nearly 80%)
(¥ billion) (%)
Operating income, operating margin
• More than six-fold growth over past 10 years
• Both amount and margin rising
(¥ billion) (%)
Operating income (left scale) Operating margin (right scale)1 Compound Annual Growth Rate2 Forecast in May 2021
Net sales (left scale) Overseas sales (right scale)
Basic Strategy Further accelerating transformation to a global health care enterprise
Responding to Operating Environment Changes Continue priority allocation of management resources;
global expansion of both pharmaceuticals and medical devices, to be the third major pillar and driver of growth
Business Strategy
Priority Fields for Provision of Value
Perceived Change Business Strategy / Way to Provide Value FY2020 Highlights
Health Care
• Need for COVID-19
response measures
• Rising demand for high-
quality medical care and
improved QOL centered on
developed countries
• Population aging and
government policies to
streamline healthcare
expenditure
• Technological innovations
for next-generation
therapies
Acute Critical Care
• Continue growing resuscitation
products and other existing
businesses and expand into
peripheral fields
Increased Ventilator Production in Response to COVID-19Production of ventilators was increased
substantially to meet rapid growth in
demand due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Click here for details.
Pharmaceuticals
• Business growth in areas of
strength—orthopedics,
immunology, and neurology—in
Japan and overseas
Post-Merger Integration of VeloxisProgress advanced in post-merger integration of Veloxis, acquired in March
2020; sales of Envarsus XR™ immunosuppressive drug expanded.
Out-Licensing Agreement for AK1780 Chronic Pain Drug CandidateAK1780, a drug candidate for chronic pain caused by neuroinflammation
developed by Asahi Kasei Pharma, was licensed to Eli Lilly and Company.
Click here for details.
Medical Care
• Reinforce bioprocess business
in line with growth of biothera-
peutics market
Expansion of Sales for Planova™ Virus Removal FiltersWhile needs for viral safety in biothera-
peutics continue to rise, inquiries for
Planova™ virus removal filters increased
in relation to development of COVID-19
treatments and vaccines.
Click here for details.
51Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Asahi Kasei Sustainability Photo Contest
Name Yuya Taketani
Company Asahi Kasei Corp.
Country/region Japan
Care for People, Care for Earth
52Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Key points
• 1/3 of Directors are independent
• 1 female Director
• Directors have diverse backgrounds
• 3/5 of Audit & Supervisory Board Members are independent
• Audit & Supervisory Board Members Office to support Audit & Supervisory Board Members
• Internal Audit Department reports to both the President and the Board of Directors
Nomination Advisory Committee
Audit Oversight Election
Audit
OversightReport
Cooperation
Cooperation
Execution of operations
President
Independent Auditors
Election
Audit
Management Council
Remuneration Advisory Committee
Board of Directors(9 Directors, including 3 Independent
Outside Directors)
Audit & Supervisory Board(5 Audit & Supervisory Board Members,
including 3 Independent Outside Members)
Internal Audit Department
Shareholders Meeting
Basic ApproachGuided by the Group Mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world, the
Group Vision for Asahi Kasei is to provide new value to people throughout the world and help
resolve social issues by enabling “living in health and comfort” and “harmony with the natural envi-
ronment.” Based on this approach, we aim to contribute to society while achieving sustainable
growth and improving corporate value over the medium to long term, by spurring innovation and
creating synergies through the integration of our diverse range of businesses.
To that end, we will continuously pursue the optimal corporate governance framework for
ensuring transparent, fair, timely, and resolute decision-making in accordance with changes in the
business environment.
Meetings of the Board of Directors, Advisory Committees, and Audit & Supervisory Board (fiscal 2020)
No. of Meetings Held
Average Attendance Main Subjects of Agenda
Board of Directors 1498%
(Directors and Audit & Supervisory Board Members)
• Business investment• Medium-term management initiative• Risk management and compliance
Nomination Advisory Committee
3 100% (All members)
• Optimum composition and size of Board of Directors• Policy for nomination of candidates to be Directors and Audit
& Supervisory Board Members• Standards for judging independence of Outside Directors and
Audit & Supervisory Board Members
Remuneration Advisory Committee
4 100% (All members)
• Policy and system for remuneration of Directors• Deciding on performance-linked remuneration of individual
Directors
Audit & Supervisory Board
1896%
(Audit & Supervisory Board Members)
• Auditing state of performance of Directors’ duties• Auditing state of operations and financial affairs• Evaluation of Independent AuditorsCorporate Governance Configuration
Diversity of Expertise and Experience of Outside Directors and Audit & Supervisory Board MembersIn order to achieve sustainable growth and improve corporate value over the medium to long term,
we consider the makeup of the Board of Directors, paying attention to the diversity of knowledge,
experience, and abilities, so that it can supervise and audit the execution of operations at the Asahi
Kasei Group, which runs a wide variety of businesses. In particular, in order to realize multifaceted
deliberation at meetings of the Board of Directors by reflecting the high sensitivity that swiftly tracks
changes in the social environment and the perspectives of external stakeholders, as well as the
knowledge cultivated through the practice of corporate management, we believe that it is essential
that there be diversity in the fields of expertise and experience of Outside Directors and Outside
Audit & Supervisory Board Members, who have standpoints that are independent of the Asahi
Kasei Group.
The distribution of the fields of expertise and experience among Outside Directors and Outside
Audit & Supervisory Board Members is as follows:
Corporate Management
Finance & Accounting
Legal Affairs & Intellectual Property
Environment & Society
Outside Directors
Tsuneyoshi Tatsuoka
Tsuyoshi Okamoto
Yuko Maeda
Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members
Akio Makabe
Tetsuo Ito
Akemi Mochizuki
Corporate Governance
53Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Results of Evaluation of Effectiveness of the Board of Directors (fiscal 2020)The Board of Directors conducts regular evaluations of its own effectiveness through discussions at
meetings of the Board of Directors, having collected questionnaires from Directors and Audit &
Supervisory Board Members after the end of each fiscal year.
The main measures implemented in fiscal 2020 and issues recognized for the future are
as follows:
Main measures implemented in fiscal 2020
The Board of Directors implemented the following measures in fiscal 2020 based on the evaluation of the previous
fiscal year.
1) Enhanced agenda items
The Board of Directors more frequently discussed agenda items relating to medium- to long-term management
issues, such as the management of the business portfolio, initiatives for promoting sustainability, and support for
digital transformation, in an effort to ensure effective supervision of these issues by the Board of Directors.
2) Enhanced provision of information to Outside Directors and Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members
The Board of Directors secured opportunities for visits to the Group’s sites, which had been conducted regularly,
while taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, preliminary briefings for the Board of
Directors were expanded in order to facilitate deeper discussion on the days of Board meetings by utilizing online
meetings.
3) Improved committee operations
The Board of Directors decided that Outside Directors shall chair the Nomination Advisory Committee and the
Remuneration Advisory Committee. Furthermore, the Board of Directors entrusted the Remuneration Advisory
Committee with deciding the individual performance-linked remuneration portion of remuneration for Directors.
These changes have improved the independence, objectivity, and transparency of the decision-making process for
the nomination and remuneration of Directors and Audit & Supervisory Board Members.
Issues recognized for the future
Based on measures implemented in fiscal 2020, the Board of Directors has confirmed a common awareness of the
following issues for the future.
1) Enhancing agenda items
Further expanding discussions on medium- to long-term management issues at meetings of the Board of Directors
and reviewing the criteria for bringing agenda items as necessary
Overview of Executive RemunerationRemuneration for Directors
(1) Decision-making policy
As one of the corporate governance mechanisms to ensure that the Asahi Kasei Group can achieve
sustainable growth and enhance corporate value over the medium to long term, we have sought
advice of the Remuneration Advisory Committee on the decision-making policy pertaining to the
contents of remuneration, etc., for individual Directors (hereinafter, the “Decision-making Policy”).
Respecting the contents of the reports thereof, the Board of Directors has made a resolution on the
Decision-making Policy, which includes the following basic policy. (An outline of the Decision-
making Policy is as stated in (2) Basic design and (3) Decision-making process below.)
Basic policy
Remuneration of Outside Directors, who have a position of independence with respect to manage-
ment of the company, comprises solely fixed basic remuneration at a level determined in
consideration of third-party survey data, in order to secure a high degree of independence unaf-
fected by short-term earnings fluctuations.
The remuneration system for Executive Directors, who are members of senior management,
combines performance-linked remuneration together with stock-based remuneration as nonmon-
etary remuneration, in addition to fixed basic remuneration, which serves as the basis for their
livelihoods, in order to provide incentives tied to earnings and management strategy, with levels of
remuneration amounts and proportions of types of remuneration adjusted as appropriate for each
role according to management strategy and tasks, in consideration of third-party survey data.
To ensure the optimal way of remunerating Directors and design of the remuneration system,
the Board of Directors and the Remuneration Advisory Committee regularly deliberate and continu-
ously confirm appropriateness and make improvements.
2) Reviewing corporate governance in line with the next medium-term management initiative
Reassessing the makeup, size, and skill requirements of the Board of Directors in line with the next medium-term
management initiative
3) Miscellaneous
Implementing methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the Board of Directors and expanding cooperation among
Outside Directors and Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members, etc.
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(2) Basic design
1) Performance-linked remuneration
• Designed by combining both the achievement of financial targets, such as asset efficiency, to
provide incentives tied to earnings and management strategy as management leaders together
with the achievement of nonfinancial targets including individual targets, one of which is progress
on sustainability
• Calculated by making a comprehensive judgment based on achievement of financial targets such as
consolidated net sales, operating income, ROA, etc., together with achievement of individually set
targets, including progress on sustainability
• Standards for financial incentives selected from the perspectives of appropriateness as clear and
objective evaluation criteria based on earnings results as well as awareness for increased asset
efficiency
• The formula required to calculate individual performance-linked remuneration is outlined as follows:
• Target figures / standard figures and actual figures of management indicators to be used for the cal-
culation of performance-linked remuneration in the most recent fiscal year
Fiscal 2020 target figure / standard figure Fiscal 2020 actual figure
Consolidated net sales ¥2,034.0 billion ¥2,106.1 billion
Consolidated operating income ¥140.0 billion ¥171.8 billion
Consolidated ROA2 5.5% 5.9%
2 Consolidated operating income / consolidated total assets as of the fiscal year-end
2) Stock-based remuneration
• To reinforce a common perspective with shareholders including both the benefits of share price
increases and the risk of share price decreases, a stock-based remuneration system was adopted at
the 126th Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 28, 2017.
• A trust established by the company acquires shares of the company and grants them to eligible
Directors. Based on the Share Grant Regulations adopted by the Board of Directors, eligible
Directors are conferred points in accordance with their rank (maximum of 100,000 points per
1 Coefficient comprehensively considering achievement of financial targets and nonfinancial targets
Index calculated by evaluation1
Basic amount by rankIndividual performance-linked
remuneration amount
(3) Decision-making process
• Entrusted to the Remuneration Advisory Committee based on a resolution of the Board of Directors
• The Remuneration Advisory Committee is authorized to confirm the reasonableness and appropriate-
ness of the evaluation of the achievement of targets by Executive Directors, as proposed by the
President & Director, and to determine remuneration amounts for individual Directors by applying this
evaluation to the framework formula determined by the Board of Directors.
• Fixed basic remuneration by rank is paid upon determination of the amount by the Board of Directors.
• Stock-based remuneration is granted when certain conditions are met, corresponding to points con-
ferred based on the Share Grant Regulations adopted by the Board of Directors.
• The reason for entrusting the aforementioned authority to the Remuneration Advisory Committee is
because doing so is the most appropriate means of determining the remuneration for individual
Directors from a highly independent, objective, and transparent standpoint while overseeing the busi-
ness results of the entire Group.
[Beneficiaries]
Directors
[Trustee] Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited(Trustee of sub-trust: Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd.)
Trust delivering shares
Asahi Kasei Shares Cash
[Trustor]
Asahi Kasei
Trust administrator
Stock market
1) Establishment of Share Grant Regulations
2) Establishment of the trust 3) Payments for purchase
3) Purchase of shares
4) Instruct not to exercise voting rights
5) Conferring points
6) Sales of shares
6) Sales proceeds
6) Shares or cash
Outline of Stock-based Remuneration System (Share Grant Trust)
fiscal year) and the shares are granted to eligible Directors corresponding to the accumulated
number of points at the time of their retirement as Director and as Officer of the Group (one share
of stock per point).
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• To ensure the appropriate use of this authorization to the Remuneration Advisory Committee, this
committee comprises a majority of Outside Directors and it regularly reports to the Board of Directors
on the process of the above confirmation and determination.
Composition of the Members of the Remuneration Advisory Committee (fiscal 2020)
Name Position and responsibilities
Tsuyoshi Okamoto Outside Director Chairperson of the Remuneration Advisory Committee
Masumi Shiraishi Outside Director
Tsuneyoshi Tatsuoka Outside Director
Hideki Kobori President and Representative Director Presidential Executive Officer
Shigeki Takayama Representative Director Vice-Presidential Executive Officer
(4) Reasons upon which the Board of Directors determined the contents of remuneration,
etc., for individual Directors pertaining to fiscal 2020 are in line with the Decision-
making Policy
• The contents of basic remuneration and stock-based remuneration are determined upon taking into
account the results of deliberations by the Remuneration Advisory Committee, which comprises a
majority of Outside Directors, with objectivity and transparency of the decision-making process ensured.
• The decision on performance-linked remuneration has been made through a highly independent,
objective, and transparent process carried out by the Remuneration Advisory Committee.
Remuneration for Audit & Supervisory Board Members
• The performance-linked remuneration system is not applied with regard to the remuneration for Audit
& Supervisory Board Members, and their remuneration consists of fixed remuneration. Individual
remuneration amounts are determined through discussions with Audit & Supervisory Board Members.
• Performance-linked remuneration = commitment to results
• Stock-based remuneration = perspective of shareholdersNote: Outside Directors receive fixed base remuneration only.
Fixed base remuneration55.8%
Performance-linked remuneration
32.5%
Stock-based remuneration
11.8%
(Paid monthly) (Paid monthly) (Paid at the time of retirement)
250
200
150
100
50
0
90
70
80
60
50
02016 2017 2018 20202019
203.8178.6
123.2156.4
194.7
62 61 61
60 56
0
50
-100
-150
-200
-250 0
5
10
15
20
25
2016 2017 2018 20202019
16.7
7.4
20.518.1
11.9
Cumulative total for five fiscal years ¥74.5 billion
Strategic holdings of listed shares(¥ billion) (stocks)
Sales of strategic shareholdings(¥ billion)
Fiscal year-end amounts of strategic shareholdings on the
balance sheets (left scale)
Number of stocks (right scale)
Percentages Shown for Directors Who Have Executive Responsibilities
Strategic Shareholdings• With the aim of achieving sustainable growth and improving corporate value over the medium to long
term, Asahi Kasei holds shares in companies as it deems necessary as part of management strategies
including forming business alliances, raising funds, securing supply chains, and maintaining and
strengthening relationships with business partners. However, we will continuously work to reduce the
amount of strategic shareholdings giving due consideration to factors including risks and costs as well
as the capital efficiency of holding such shares.
• The Board of Directors examines the purpose and economic rationale of maintaining individual strate-
gic shareholdings on an annual basis from the perspective of their contribution to the company’s sus-
tainable growth and corporate value improvement over the medium to long term. In verifying the
economic rationale, we comprehensively assess returns in terms of medium- to long-term business
earnings and dividends with reference to the cost of capital and other considerations. As a result of
the verification, we reduce, through sales or other means, holdings of shares judged to be no longer
compatible with the purpose of holding them or deemed to have costs and risks that outweigh the
benefits of holding them, taking into consideration the conditions of the company concerned (in the
five years from fiscal 2016 to fiscal 2020, sales of strategic shareholdings totaled ¥74.5 billion).
• Voting rights associated with strategic shareholdings are exercised after comprehensively determining
whether a proposal contributes to the sustainable growth and corporate value improvement over the
medium to long term of both Asahi Kasei and the investee company.
(FY)(FY)
56Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Directors
Hideki KoboriPresident & Representative Director
Presidential Executive Officer
April 1978 Joined Asahi Kasei
April 2008 Asahi Kasei Microdevices Director, Senior Executive Officer
April 2009 Asahi Kasei Microdevices Director, Primary Executive Officer
April 2010 Asahi Kasei Microdevices President & Representative Director, Presidential Executive Officer
April 2012 Asahi Kasei Senior Executive Officer
June 2012 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present)
April 2014 Asahi Kasei Representative Director (position held at present), Primary Executive Officer
April 2016 Asahi Kasei President and Director (position held at present), Presidential Executive Officer (position held at present)
Shigeki TakayamaRepresentative Director
Vice-Presidential Executive Officer
April 1980 Joined Asahi Kasei
April 2009 Asahi Kasei E-materials Executive Officer
April 2010 Asahi Kasei E-materials Director
April 2012 Asahi Kasei E-materials Director, Senior Executive Officer
April 2013 Asahi Kasei E-materials President & Representative Director, Presidential Executive Officer
August 2015 Polypore International, LP, President & CEO
April 2016 Asahi Kasei Senior Executive Officer, President of Separators SBU
April 2018 Asahi Kasei Primary Executive Officer
April 2019 Asahi Kasei Vice-Presidential Executive Officer (position held at present)
June 2019 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present), Representative Director (position held at present)
Hiroshi YoshidaDirector
Vice-Presidential Executive Officer
April 1979 Joined Asahi Kasei
April 2012 Asahi Kasei Chemicals Executive Officer
April 2014 Asahi Kasei Chemicals Director, Senior Executive Officer
April 2016 Asahi Kasei Lead Executive Officer, President of Performance Polymers SBU
April 2017 Asahi Kasei Senior Executive Officer
April 2018 Asahi Kasei Primary Executive Officer
April 2019 Asahi Kasei Vice-Presidential Executive Officer (position held at present)
June 2019 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present)
Shuichi SakamotoDirector
Primary Executive Officer
April 1981 Joined Asahi Kasei
April 2011 Asahi Kasei Chemicals Executive Officer
April 2014 Asahi Kasei Chemicals Director, Senior Executive Officer
November 2014 Asahi Kasei Lead Executive Officer, Corporate Strategy General Manager
April 2016 Asahi Kasei Senior Executive Officer
June 2016 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present)
April 2018 Asahi Kasei Pharma Chairman & Director (position held at present)
Asahi Kasei Medical Chairman & Director (position held at present)
April 2019 Asahi Kasei Primary Executive Officer (position held at present)
Fumitoshi KawabataDirector
Primary Executive Officer
April 1982 Joined Asahi Kasei
April 2012 Asahi Kasei Homes Executive Officer
April 2013 Asahi Kasei Homes Director (position held at present), Senior Executive Officer
April 2014 Asahi Kasei Homes Marketing Division General Manager
February 2016 Asahi Kasei Homes Chubu Sales Division General Manager
April 2017 Asahi Kasei Senior Executive Officer Asahi Kasei Homes President & Representative Director (position held at present), Presidential Executive Officer (position held at present)
April 2019 Asahi Kasei Primary Executive Officer (position held at present)
June 2019 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present)
Directors and Audit & Supervisory Board Members (as of June 25, 2021)
57Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Koshiro KudoDirector
Senior Executive Officer
April 1982 Joined Asahi Kasei
April 2013 Asahi Kasei Fibers Executive Officer
April 2016 Asahi Kasei Lead Executive Officer
April 2017 Asahi Kasei President of Fibers & Textiles SBU, Senior General Manager, Osaka Office
April 2019 Asahi Kasei Senior Executive Officer (position held at present), President of Performance Products SBU
June 2021 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present)
Tsuneyoshi TatsuokaOutside Director
April 1980 Joined Ministry of International Trade and Industry
January 2010 Councilor, Cabinet Secretariat
August 2011 Deputy Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
June 2013 Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
July 2015 Retired from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
June 2016 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present)
Tsuyoshi OkamotoOutside Director
April 1970 Joined Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.
June 2002 Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Executive Officer
April 2004 Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Senior Executive Officer
June 2004 Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Director
April 2007 Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Representative Director, Executive Vice President
April 2010 Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Representative Director, President
April 2014 Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Director, Chairman
April 2018 Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Director, Senior Corporate Advisor
June 2018 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present)
July 2018 Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. Senior Corporate Advisor (position held at present)
Yuko MaedaOutside Director
April 1984 Joined Bridgestone Corporation
September 2003 Tokyo Medical and Dental University Director of Technology Transfer Center and Intellectual Property Manager of Intellectual Property Right Department
October 2009 Tokyo Medical and Dental University Visiting Professor
October 2011 Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Specially Appointed Professor
May 2013 Bridgestone Corporation Executive Officer
April 2014 Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology Auditor (position held at present)
January 2017 CellBank Corp. Director (position held at present)
October 2020 Kyushu University Executive Vice President (position held at present)
June 2021 Asahi Kasei Director (position held at present)
Directors
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Audit & Supervisory Board Members
Masafumi NakaoAudit & Supervisory Board Member
April 1978 Joined Asahi Kasei
April 2009 Asahi Kasei Microdevices Director, Executive Officer
April 2012 Asahi Kasei Lead Executive Officer, New Business Development General Manager
June 2012 Asahi Kasei Director
April 2014 Asahi Kasei Corporate Research & Development General Manager
June 2014 Retired as Asahi Kasei Director
April 2015 Asahi Kasei Senior Executive Officer
April 2016 Asahi Kasei Primary Executive Officer
June 2016 Asahi Kasei Director
April 2017 Asahi Kasei Representative Director, Vice-Presidential Executive Officer
June 2019 Asahi Kasei Audit & Supervisory Board Member (position held at present)
Yutaka ShibataAudit & Supervisory Board Member
April 1979 Joined Asahi Kasei
April 2008 Asahi Kasei Executive Officer
April 2009 Asahi Kasei Lead Executive Officer
April 2011 Asahi Kasei Kuraray Medical President & Representative Director, Presidential Executive Officer Asahi Kasei Medical President & Representative Director, Presidential Executive Officer
April 2016 Asahi Kasei Primary Executive Officer
April 2017 Asahi Kasei Pharma President & Representative Director, Presidential Executive Officer
June 2018 Asahi Kasei Director
April 2019 Asahi Kasei Vice-Presidential Executive Officer
June 2021 Asahi Kasei Audit & Supervisory Board Member (position held at present)
Akio MakabeOutside Audit & Supervisory Board Member
April 1976 Joined Dai-Ichi Kangyo BankFebruary 1998 General Manager, Market Research
Dept., DKB Research InstituteApril 1999 Graduate School Lecturer, Faculty of
Economics, Shinshu UniversitySeptember 1999 Lecturer, Faculty of Science and
Technology, Keio UniversityOctober 1999 Chief Researcher, DKB Research
InstituteApril 2002 Chief Researcher, Research
Division, Mizuho Research Institute Ltd.
April 2003 Project Professor, Graduate School of Management, Shinshu University
October 2003 Counsellor, Internal Audit Division, Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd.
June 2005 Retired from Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd.
July 2005 Professor, Faculty of Economics, Shinshu University
June 2014 Asahi Kasei Audit & Supervisory Board Member (position held at present)
April 2016 Visiting Professor, Department of Management and Information Sciences Tama Graduate School of Business (position held at present)
April 2017 Professor, Hosei Graduate School of Regional Policy Design (position held at present)
Tetsuo ItoOutside Audit & Supervisory Board Member
April 1975 Joined Public Prosecutors Office
June 2001 Director, Special Investigation Dept., Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office
July 2007 Chief Prosecutor, Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office
July 2008 Superintending Prosecutor, Takamatsu High Public Prosecutors Office
January 2009 Deputy Prosecutor-General, Supreme Public Prosecutors Office
December 2010 Retired from Public Prosecutors Office
April 2011 Certified as an attorney Of Counsel, Nishimura & Asahi law firm (position held at present)
June 2015 Asahi Kasei Audit & Supervisory Board Member (position held at present)
Akemi MochizukiOutside Audit & Supervisory Board Member
October 1984 Joined Aoyama Audit Corporation
March 1988 Certified as a Certified Public Accountant
August 1996 Joined Tohmatsu Audit Corporation (currently Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC)
June 2001 Tohmatsu Audit Corporation Partner
July 2018 Akahoshi Audit Corporation Partner (position held at present)
June 2021 Asahi Kasei Audit & Supervisory Board Member (position held at present)
59Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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Q Based on your experience in industry-academia-
government collaboration, how do you view Asahi Kasei’s
businesses and technologies?
I studied polymer chemistry, so I naturally feel some affinity with
Asahi Kasei. The company has numerous products such as
Saran Wrap™ which are closely associated with people’s lives.
I also became interested in Asahi Kasei years ago as a recharge-
able lithium battery researcher. I was really thrilled when Akira
Yoshino was named for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. It shows
just how much Asahi Kasei values its researchers.
I believe the Asahi Kasei Group is well positioned to gener-
ate innovation as its portfolio of diverse businesses in three
sectors gives it an overarching view of different industries. This
may seem ordinary to people inside the company, but as an out-
sider I see it as a remarkable advantage. As an engineer as well,
I envy the environment that Asahi Kasei researchers enjoy.
There’s a favorable environment for employees to innovate and
take challenges.
Innovation Fully Leveraging the Strength of Diverse Businesses
Yuko Maeda
Q What is your opinion of Asahi Kasei’s corporate
governance structure? How do you view your role as an
Outside Director?
I believe the governance structure is appropriate as a company
with an Audit & Supervisory Board. The Board of Directors is
well balanced, with Directors overseeing each of the three busi-
ness sectors. Discussions at Board of Directors meetings are
lively, with Outside Directors assessing management from an
external perspective while raising questions and offering advice
as necessary, leveraging their respective areas of expertise.
The most important thing an Outside Director has to offer is
objectivity. Asahi Kasei operates a diverse range of businesses,
with management leaders who are well versed in each respec-
tive area. I can provide objective assessments and advice based
on my expertise in technology, industry-academia-government
collaboration, and intellectual property strategy. Having also
been involved in regenerative medicine, I feel that quality assur-
ance and control can no longer been seen as some thankless
task in the background; these days it’s truly the lifeline of a com-
pany. No company can survive for long without reliable quality.
By leveraging my experience, I hope to be able to help enhance
Asahi Kasei’s reputation not only among shareholders and inves-
tors but also among customers and consumers.
Ms. Yuko Maeda joined Bridgestone Corporation in 1984, where she was appointed to a position developing rechargeable lithium batteries. She was later placed
in a principal position for promoting industry-academia-government collaboration in the fields of intellectual property and technology transfer before becoming
an Executive Officer of Bridgestone charged with overseeing environmental activities, innovation, and intellectual property in 2013. Ms. Maeda then became a
Director at regenerative medicine company CellBank Corp. in 2017 before coming to serve concurrently as an Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member of
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and an Outside Director of Kosé Corporation. She was installed as an Outside Director of Asahi Kasei in June 2021.
Interview with an Outside Director
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Exerting Combined Strengths for Sustainability
Q What do you think Asahi Kasei needs in order to keep
growing and raising corporate value as a global company?
I have held various positions in private-sector, academic, and
public institutions. This experience has led me to believe that
diversity is the key to new business creation and innovation. A
while back, a university arranged a discussion between an art
professor and a corporate executive on the general subject of
new businesses. It made me realize that innovation is sparked at
the intersection of completely different fields. Private-sector
companies need to earn profits, so they hesitate to do anything
that might seem reckless. But there is value to be gained by col-
laborating with the academia, where research is conducted
more freely. Such collaboration can provide different perspec-
tives and flexible ideas. Innovation is unlikely to arise from col-
laboration between two leading experts in the same field. It’s
important to actively look to different fields and consider differ-
ent concepts. I feel that this is just what Asahi Kasei is seeking
through its initiative to build connections.
Looking ahead, it will be crucial for Asahi Kasei to develop
its health care business, which is currently in the stage of global
growth. At the same time, the company should look to increase
the diversity of its management team over the medium to long
term, such as by increasing the number of non-Japanese and
female Directors and Executive Officers. This will be vital to gen-
erating the types of diverse and innovative ideas needed for glo-
balizing operations.
Q The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly altered the social
climate and the operating environment. What will be
required of management going forward?
The pandemic has dramatically changed the operating environ-
ment for companies as the advance of digitalization has
entrenched remote work and given rise to new workstyles and
values. Such changes, however, make us realize that sometimes
face-to-face communication is still necessary. This new era will
test management’s ability to navigate companies through vari-
ous risks. Companies need to be able to communicate
effectively both internally and with customers, and develop a
framework for resilience in the post-pandemic world. Only then
can a company truly be a provider of solutions that meet the
changing needs of society.
Q How do you evaluate Asahi Kasei’s sustainability
initiatives, and what are your thoughts regarding the
governance structure to underpin future sustainability?
Even before sustainability became vogue, Asahi Kasei had
defined its Group Mission as “contributing to life and living for
people around the world.” This mission has been embraced by
all employees, and is embodied in a wide variety of businesses.
As indicated in Asahi Kasei’s medium-term management
initiative, it’s essential to have a virtuous cycle of contributing to
a sustainable society, exemplified by the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals, and sustainable growth of cor-
porate value. This is no easy matter, requiring the whole
company to exert its combined strengths, but society expects no
less. Asahi Kasei is advancing the development of business con-
tributing to the advent of a hydrogen society, and has long
utilized renewable energy such as hydroelectric power. And yet,
these efforts are not widely recognized. The company should do
more to explain these efforts and make them easily understood.
I look forward to offering advice in this regard.
61Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
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The Asahi Kasei Group recognizes that risk management and compliance are matters of utmost
importance for continuing to provide social value and gaining the trust of stakeholders. Given our
diverse range of businesses, we must respond to differing market, investment, and other risks
based on the characteristics of each business.
For this reason, we recognize that it is important to practice risk management and promote
compliance in an integrated, group-wide manner. We have established the Asahi Kasei Group Basic
Regulation for Risk Management & Compliance and are reinforcing systems related to the imple-
mentation of this regulation while fostering compliance awareness among all employees.
Outline of Asahi Kasei Group Basic Regulation for Risk Management & Compliance
1. Purpose of the regulation
2. Definition of terms for risk management & compliance
3. Scope of application of the regulation
4. Framework for risk management & compliance
1) Designation of Executive Officer for Risk Management & Compliance
2) Establishment and composition of Risk Management & Compliance Committee
3) Establishment of Risk Management & Compliance Oversight Department and Risk
Management & Compliance Promotion Departments
4) Role of Presidents of SBUs and core operating companies
5) Designation and role of Risk Management & Compliance Supervisors and Risk
Management & Compliance Managers
5. The Asahi Kasei Group Code of Conduct
6. Crisis response
7. Compliance hotline (internal reporting system)
Risk Management & Compliance FrameworkAsahi Kasei has established the Risk Management & Compliance Committee, which is chaired by
the President of the Company and comprised of the Presidents of the Strategic Business Units and
the Core Operating Companies as committee members. This committee is tasked with formulating
policies and discussing matters related to group-wide risk management and compliance as well as
with monitoring the progress of risk countermeasures and the status of compliance. The results of
discussions by the Risk Management & Compliance Committee are reported to the Board of
Directors twice a year. Managers responsible for risk management and compliance are designated
in each SBU, core operating company, and subsidiary. These managers work to identify, assess,
and analyze the risks of each business and to plan measures for mitigating serious risks.
Framework for Risk Management & Compliance
Board of Directors, Management Council
Strategic Business Units Core Operating Companies
Administrative departments (Risk Management & Compliance Promotion Departments)
ReportingDeliberation/decision
Business units
Secretariat
Coordination
Instructions/reports
Risk Management & Compliance Committee
Risk Management & Compliance, General Affairs (Risk Management & Compliance Oversight Department)
Subsidiaries (worldwide) Subsidiaries (worldwide)
Risk Management
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Business Risks for the Asahi Kasei GroupThe major business risks with the potential to impact the performance of the Asahi Kasei Group include the following. Countermeasures are implemented to mitigate risks based on their characteristics and the
potential extent of their damage.
Group-wide Risks
Performance-Related Risks Principal Attributes Primary Countermeasures
Risks Related to Climate ChangeInformation regarding disclo-sure based on the recommen-dations of the TCFD P27–28
The risk of production being impacted by global climate change and of increased costs being incurred due to stricter regulations or government policy changes as described by the TCFD
Tracking and responding to risks based on annual, individual business-level analyses and examinations of risks and opportunities
Risks Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The risk of restrictions on business activity and the risk of volatility in demand for products amid uncertainty over the outlook with respect to the extent and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on economic activity
• Utilizing IT tools and other methods for performing tasks online
• Monitoring of demand trends and effective inventory management to ensure stable supplies of products
Risks Related to Global Supply Chains
The risk of supply chains being disrupted in any business due to a need to avoid transactions with given suppliers or incapacitation of suppliers as a result of natural disasters, industrial accidents, human rights violations, conflicts, or business failures occurring anywhere in the world
• Assessing and auditing risks when selecting suppliers and monitoring suppliers and buyers
• Diversifying raw material procurement routes for major businesses and products and securing appropriate inventory levels
Risks Related to Trade and Economic Sanctions
Trade:
• The risk of inability to collect payments, delay or suspension of business activity, or deterioration of business perfor-mance due to increased tariffs, delay in or noncompletion of customs clearance, or delay in or noncompletion of fund settlement as a result of binational or multinational agreements, changes in frameworks, or new regulations regarding international trade or fund settlement
• The risk of the prices of internal transactions between Group companies being judged to be inappropriate by tax authorities and the risk of double or additional taxation due to unfavorable progress in discussions with tax authorities
• Engaging in prior discussions with authorities and implementing appropriate measures based on up-to-date understanding of regulatory environment
• Setting independent prices for highly material inter-company transactions between Group companies based on international transfer-price tax regulations by using pre-confirmation systems and opinions of external experts
• Carefully screening transactions using external customer screening systems to respond to sanctions
Economic sanctions and other regulations: The risk of transactions with or investments in overseas companies or other business activity being impacted by changes in binational or multinational trade conditions as a result of economic sanctions, export control regulations, or stricter regulations on direct overseas investments implemented from an economic security perspective in Japan or another country
Risks Related to Business Competitiveness
The risk of businesses losing competitiveness as a result of other companies using similar products or technologies to eliminate differentiation; intensified competition due to the entry of new competitors; changes in industrial structures due to rapid progress in digital technologies, decarbonization technologies, or other technologies; or sudden changes in demand structures or market structures
Examining the competitiveness of competing products and examining timely, accurate forecasts of changes in industrial structures, and then continuously differentiating products and services, establishing business models that are difficult to imitate, and using intellectual property to build high barriers to entry
Risks Related to M&A The risk of incurring impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets if initially expected investment benefits are not realized, if the performance of a joint venture deteriorates, or if business integration with an acquired company is delayed
Exercising due diligence with respect to companies being considered for acquisition and carefully verifying business integration plans after acquisitions
63Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Performance-Related Risks Principal Attributes Primary Countermeasures
Risks Related to Market Conditions
Crude oil and naphtha prices: The risk of volatility in the raw material procurement prices paid by businesses or in the market prices of feedstocks that affect products’ selling prices
• Stabilizing earnings by revising the method of determining selling prices (acrylonitrile business)
Exchange rate risk: The risk of volatility in exchange rates between the yen and foreign currencies accompanying foreign currency-denominated settlements of import and export trading transactions and trading transactions between third-party countries
• Stable and efficient utilization of capital with a cash management system and by hedging through forward exchange contracts
Other Risks In addition to the aforementioned risks, business risks stemming from large-scale natural disasters, industrial acci-dents, accidents caused by defective products, intellectual property rights, and new laws
• Implementing measures in response through respective responsible divisions
• Implementing risk financing by acquiring property and casualty insurance with the aim of covering restoration costs if risks actualize
• Evaluating and monitoring risks through periodic discussions at meetings of the Risk Management & Compliance Committee
Risks Related to Business Segments
Performance-Related Risks Principal Attributes Primary Countermeasures
Material Environment & Energy: The risk of sales volumes or selling prices being lower than forecasted due to fluctuations in worldwide demand for lithium-ion battery separators or due to the sales policies of competitors, as well as the risk of drastic changes to the operating environment as a result of changes to technologies or changes to supply chains stemming from regulations or environmental issues in countries of operation
Environment & Energy: Responding to diverse customer needs by augmenting production capacity with a focus on electric vehicles, other eco-friendly vehicles, and electricity storage systems, for which demand is projected to increase over the medium to long term, and leveraging strength of consistently high levels of quality
Mobility: The risk of volatility in demand due to trends in the global automotive industry as well as the risk of progress in CASE (connected, autonomous, shared & service, and electric) technologies or other industry changes
Mobility: Monitoring worldwide automotive markets to maintain appropriate inventory levels and flexibly respond to changes in demand; bolstering lineup of materials matched to industry changes, including electric vehicle materials and eco-friendly materials; expanding regional scope of operations; and developing business model for sustainable growth
Homes • The risk of volatility in demand due to consumer spending trends in Japan; policies related to interest rates, land prices, and homes; or taxation system trends
• The risk of changes in methods of communication with customers or of changes in needs with respect to homes due to an increase in working from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
• The risk of changes in trends in the housing markets of the United States and Australia
• The risk of fluctuations in timber prices due to a tight supply-demand balance for lumber
• The risk of damage to trust due to the leakage of the personal information of a customer
• Monitoring and swiftly responding to housing market trends in Japan, the United States, and Australia
• Attracting customers and acquiring orders through means such as marketing approaches utilizing digital technologies
• Monitoring lumber market trends and limiting impacts of price increases
• Thoroughly protecting personal information
Health Care • The risk of a decrease in the sales volumes or selling prices of drugs or medical devices due to periodic revision of National Health Insurance (NHI) reimbursement prices
• The risk of new drugs under development not receiving approval and not becoming commercial products as planned
• The risk of development and launches of products that compete with ours, reports detailing adverse drug effects associated with our products, or launches of generic versions of our products
• The risk of reduced domestic demand for pharmaceuticals or critical care products due to limitation of patients receiving examinations as an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Realizing diverse growth potential and competitive strength by having both a pharmaceu-tical business and a medical device business, increasing opportunities to acquire innova-tion, and enhancing the ability to adapt given the uncertainty of future medical regulations
• Enhancing pipeline, out- and in-licensing products, engaging in joint development, and accelerating global expansion to achieve consistent ongoing growth
• Monitoring demand trends carefully and implementing flexible production measures in response to fluctuations in demand
64Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Corporate Information
Asahi Kasei Sustainability Photo Contest
Name Inthira Mahamad
Company Asahikasei Plastics (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Country/region Thailand
Care for People, Care for Earth
65Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Consolidated Financial StatementsConsolidated Balance SheetsAsahi Kasei Corporation and Consolidated Subsidiaries
March 31, 2021 and 2020
Detailed Consolidated Financial Statements are available at the following link:
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/ir/library/financial_briefing/pdf/2103statements.pdf
Millions of yenThousands of U.S. dollars*
ASSETS 2021 2020 2021
Current assets: Cash and deposits ¥ 221,779 ¥ 207,957 $ 2,003,243 Notes and accounts receivable–trade 338,640 330,999 3,058,802 Merchandise and finished goods 203,159 216,463 1,835,056 Work in process 166,494 160,064 1,503,875 Raw materials and supplies 111,798 101,313 1,009,827 Other 97,131 92,153 877,346 Allowance for doubtful accounts (2,225) (1,519) (20,098) Total current assets 1,136,776 1,107,430 10,268,052
Noncurrent assets: Property, plant and equipment Buildings and structures 598,675 563,110 5,407,596 Accumulated depreciation (319,144) (305,259) (2,882,703) Buildings and structures, net 279,531 257,851 2,524,894 Machinery, equipment and vehicles 1,535,326 1,466,958 13,867,997 Accumulated depreciation (1,286,057) (1,243,780) (11,616,448) Machinery, equipment and vehicles, net 249,269 223,179 2,251,549 Land 70,577 67,024 637,494 Lease assets 8,615 9,645 77,816 Accumulated depreciation (7,687) (8,964) (69,434) Lease assets, net 928 681 8,382 Construction in progress 84,463 75,487 762,921 Other 182,414 172,674 1,647,674 Accumulated depreciation (149,920) (143,210) (1,354,169) Other, net 32,495 29,464 293,515 Subtotal 717,262 653,686 6,478,746
Intangible assets Goodwill 351,921 365,680 3,178,764 Other 342,454 349,566 3,093,253 Subtotal 694,374 715,246 6,272,008
Investments and other assets Investment securities 286,517 244,581 2,587,996 Long-term loans receivable 1,241 7,951 11,209 Long-term advance payments–trade 29,390 20,467 265,468 Deferred tax assets 21,116 44,466 190,733 Other 32,709 28,883 295,448 Allowance for doubtful accounts (445) (435) (4,020) Subtotal 370,529 345,914 3,346,843 Total noncurrent assets 1,782,165 1,714,846 16,097,597
Total assets ¥ 2,918,941 ¥ 2,822,277 $26,365,649
* As the amounts shown in U.S. dollars are for convenience only, and are not intended to be computed in accordance with generally accepted translation procedures, the approximate current exchange rate of ¥110.71 = US$1 prevailing on March 31, 2021, has been used.
Millions of yenThousands of U.S. dollars*
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS 2021 2020 2021
Liabilities: Current liabilities: Notes and accounts payable–trade ¥ 142,087 ¥ 131,207 $1,283,416 Short-term loans payable 144,571 275,671 1,305,853 Commercial paper 84,000 139,000 758,739 Lease obligations 880 1,006 7,949 Accrued expenses 126,705 121,520 1,144,477 Income taxes payable 21,268 18,145 192,106 Advances received 78,601 73,623 709,972 Provision for grant of shares 124 78 1,120 Provision for periodic repairs 7,222 4,043 65,233 Provision for product warranties 3,522 3,738 31,813 Provision for removal cost of property, plant and
equipment 5,651 2,640 51,043 Other 88,533 71,863 799,684 Total current liabilities 703,163 842,531 6,351,396 Noncurrent liabilities: Bonds payable 110,000 60,000 993,587 Long-term loans payable 320,404 229,172 2,894,084 Lease obligations 3,921 3,506 35,417 Deferred tax liabilities 58,669 70,600 529,934 Provision for grant of shares 513 412 4,634 Provision for periodic repairs 3,415 4,560 30,846 Provision for removal cost of property, plant and
equipment 12,652 5,771 114,281 Net defined benefit liability 158,832 174,365 1,434,667 Long-term guarantee deposits 21,939 21,613 198,166 Other 30,899 26,287 279,099 Total noncurrent liabilities 721,243 596,286 6,514,705 Total liabilities 1,424,406 1,438,817 12,866,101Net assets: Shareholders’ equity Capital stock Authorized—4,000,000,000 shares
Issued and outstanding—1,393,932,032 shares 103,389 103,389 933,872 Capital surplus 79,641 79,641 719,366 Retained earnings 1,158,792 1,125,738 10,466,914 Treasury stock
( 2021—6,396,867 shares, 2020—6,440,327 shares) (5,932) (5,990) (53,581) Total shareholders’ equity 1,335,890 1,302,777 12,066,570 Accumulated other comprehensive income Net unrealized gain on other securities 91,887 67,027 829,979 Deferred gains or losses on hedges (347) (241) (3,134) Foreign currency translation adjustment 50,462 13,027 455,803 Remeasurements of defined benefit plans (10,416) (23,275) (94,084) Total accumulated other comprehensive income 131,586 56,538 1,188,565 Non-controlling interests 27,058 24,145 244,404 Total net assets 1,494,535 1,383,460 13,499,548Commitments and contingent liabilitiesTotal liabilities and net assets ¥2,918,941 ¥2,822,277 $26,365,649
* As the amounts shown in U.S. dollars are for convenience only, and are not intended to be computed in accordance with generally accepted translation procedures, the approximate current exchange rate of ¥110.71 = US$1 prevailing on March 31, 2021, has been used.
66Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Consolidated Statements of IncomeAsahi Kasei Corporation and Consolidated Subsidiaries
Years Ended March 31, 2021 and 2020
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive IncomeAsahi Kasei Corporation and Consolidated Subsidiaries
Years Ended March 31, 2021 and 2020
Millions of yenThousands of U.S. dollars*
2021 2020 2021
Net sales ¥2,106,051 ¥2,151,646 $19,023,133Cost of sales 1,425,342 1,476,606 12,874,555 Gross profit 680,709 675,040 6,148,577Selling, general and administrative expenses 508,901 497,776 4,596,703 Operating income 171,808 177,264 1,551,874Non-operating income:
Interest income 1,895 2,769 17,117 Dividends income 4,308 5,251 38,912 Equity in earnings of affiliates 3,451 7,138 31,172 Insurance income 2,618 1,724 23,647 Other 5,059 3,596 45,696 Total non-operating income 17,331 20,479 156,544Non-operating expenses:
Interest expense 3,209 4,016 28,986 Other 7,893 9,720 71,294 Total non-operating expenses 11,102 13,735 100,280Ordinary income 178,036 184,008 1,608,129Extraordinary income:
Gain on sales of investment securities 17,312 13,679 156,373 Gain on sales of noncurrent assets 353 4,268 3,189 Total extraordinary income 17,665 17,948 159,561Extraordinary loss:
Loss on valuation of investment securities 66 1,953 596 Loss on disposal of noncurrent assets 10,637 9,668 96,080 Impairment loss 1,937 21,949 17,496 Loss on disaster – 2,437 – Loss on fire at plant facilities 22,287 – 201,310 Loss on product compensation 2,118 5,173 19,131 Business structure improvement expenses 7,750 4,840 70,003 Total extraordinary loss 44,795 46,022 404,616Income before income taxes 150,906 155,934 1,363,075Income taxes — current 73,273 54,173 661,846 — deferred (4,465) (3,967) (40,331)Total income taxes 68,808 50,206 621,516Net income 82,098 105,728 741,559Net income attributable to non-controlling interests 2,330 1,797 21,046Net income attributable to owners of the parent ¥ 79,768 ¥ 103,931 $ 720,513
* As the amounts shown in U.S. dollars are for convenience only, and are not intended to be computed in accordance with generally accepted translation procedures, the approximate current exchange rate of ¥110.71 = US$1 prevailing on March 31, 2021, has been used.
Millions of yenThousands of U.S. dollars*
2021 2020 2021
Net income ¥ 82,098 ¥105,728 $ 741,559Other comprehensive income
Net (decrease) increase in unrealized gain on other securities 24,806 (34,895) 224,063
Deferred gains or losses on hedges (106) (201) (957) Foreign currency translation adjustment 35,491 (26,115) 320,576 Remeasurements of defined benefit plans 12,631 (3,867) 114,091 Share of other comprehensive income of affiliates
accounted for using equity method 3,020 (3,482) 27,278 Total other comprehensive income 75,842 (68,561) 685,051Comprehensive income ¥157,941 ¥ 37,167 $1,426,619Comprehensive income attributable to:
Owners of the parent ¥154,817 ¥ 35,730 $1,398,401 Non-controlling interests 3,124 1,437 28,218
* As the amounts shown in U.S. dollars are for convenience only, and are not intended to be computed in accordance with generally accepted translation procedures, the approximate current exchange rate of ¥110.71 = US$1 prevailing on March 31, 2021, has been used.
67Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net AssetsAsahi Kasei Corporation and Consolidated Subsidiaries
Years Ended March 31, 2021 and 2020
Millions of yen
Shareholders’ equity Accumulated other comprehensive income
Capital stock Capital surplus Retained earnings Treasury stockTotal shareholders’
equityNet unrealized gain on
other securitiesDeferred gains or losses
on hedgesForeign currency
translation adjustmentRemeasurements of
defined benefit plansTotal accumulated other comprehensive income Non-controlling interests Total net assets
Balance at March 31, 2020 ¥103,389 ¥79,641 ¥1,125,738 ¥(5,990) ¥1,302,777 ¥67,027 ¥(241) ¥13,027 ¥(23,275) ¥ 56,538 ¥24,145 ¥1,383,460
Changes during the fiscal year
Dividends from surplus (45,800) (45,800) (45,800)
Net income attributable to owners of the parent 79,768 79,768 79,768
Purchase of treasury stock (10) (10) (10)
Disposal of treasury stock (0) 69 69 69
Cancellation of treasury stock – –
Transfer from retained earnings to capital surplus 0 (0) – –
Change of scope of consolidation (914) (914) (914)
Capital increase of consolidated subsidiaries 0 0 0
Net changes of items other than shareholders’ equity 24,860 (106) 37,434 12,859 75,049 2,913 77,962
Total changes of items during the period – 0 33,054 59 33,113 24,860 (106) 37,434 12,859 75,049 2,913 111,075
Balance at March 31, 2021 ¥103,389 ¥79,641 ¥1,158,792 ¥(5,932) ¥1,335,890 ¥91,887 ¥(347) ¥50,462 ¥(10,416) ¥131,586 ¥27,058 ¥1,494,535
Millions of yen
Shareholders’ equity Accumulated other comprehensive income
Capital stock Capital surplus Retained earnings Treasury stockTotal shareholders’
equityNet unrealized gain on
other securitiesDeferred gains or losses
on hedgesForeign currency
translation adjustmentRemeasurements of
defined benefit plansTotal accumulated other comprehensive income Non-controlling interests Total net assets
Balance at March 31, 2019 ¥103,389 ¥79,708 ¥1,077,586 ¥ (3,936) ¥1,256,747 ¥101,971 ¥ (40) ¥ 42,020 ¥(19,213) ¥124,738 ¥21,225 ¥1,402,710
Changes during the fiscal year
Dividends from surplus (48,723) (48,723) (48,723)
Net income attributable to owners of the parent 103,931 103,931 103,931
Purchase of treasury stock (10,016) (10,016) (10,016)
Disposal of treasury stock 0 83 84 84
Cancellation of treasury stock (7,878) 7,878 – –
Transfer from retained earnings to capital surplus 7,856 (7,856) – –
Change of scope of consolidation 801 801 801
Capital increase of consolidated subsidiaries (46) (46) (46)
Net changes of items other than shareholders’ equity (34,945) (201) (28,993) (4,062) (68,200) 2,920 (65,280)
Total changes of items during the period – (67) 48,152 (2,055) 46,030 (34,945) (201) (28,993) (4,062) (68,200) 2,920 (19,250)
Balance at March 31, 2020 ¥103,389 ¥79,641 ¥1,125,738 ¥ (5,990) ¥1,302,777 ¥ 67,027 ¥(241) ¥ 13,027 ¥(23,275) ¥ 56,538 ¥24,145 ¥1,383,460
68Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net AssetsAsahi Kasei Corporation and Consolidated Subsidiaries
Years Ended March 31, 2021 and 2020
Thousands of U.S. dollars*
Shareholders’ equity Accumulated other comprehensive income
Capital stock Capital surplus Retained earnings Treasury stockTotal shareholders’
equityNet unrealized gain on
other securitiesDeferred gains or losses
on hedgesForeign currency
translation adjustmentRemeasurements of
defined benefit plansTotal accumulated other comprehensive income Non-controlling interests Total net assets
Balance at March 31, 2020 $933,872 $719,366 $10,168,350 $(54,105) $11,767,474 $605,429 $(2,177) $117,668 $(210,234) $510,686 $218,092 $12,496,251
Changes during the fiscal year
Dividends from surplus (413,693) (413,693) (413,693)
Net income attributable to owners of the parent 720,513 720,513 720,513
Purchase of treasury stock (90) (90) (90)
Disposal of treasury stock (0) 623 623 623
Cancellation of treasury stock – –
Transfer from retained earnings to capital surplus 0 (0) – –
Change of scope of consolidation (8,256) (8,256) (8,256)
Capital increase of consolidated subsidiaries 0 0 0
Net changes of items other than shareholders’ equity 224,551 (957) 338,127 116,150 677,888 26,312 704,200
Total changes of items during the period – 0 298,564 533 299,097 224,551 (957) 338,127 116,150 677,888 26,312 1,003,297
Balance at March 31, 2021 $933,872 $719,366 $10,466,914 $(53,581) $12,066,570 $829,979 $(3,134) $455,803 $(94,084) $1,188,565 $244,404 $13,499,548
* As the amounts shown in U.S. dollars are for convenience only, and are not intended to be computed in accordance with generally accepted translation procedures, the approximate current exchange rate of ¥110.71 = US$1 prevailing on March 31, 2021, has been used.
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Corporate Information
Consolidated Statements of Cash FlowsAsahi Kasei Corporation and Consolidated Subsidiaries
Years Ended March 31, 2021 and 2020
Millions of yenThousands of U.S. dollars*
2021 2020 2021
Cash flows from operating activities:
Income before income taxes ¥ 150,906 ¥ 155,934 $1,363,075 Depreciation and amortization 108,369 96,016 978,855 Impairment loss 1,937 21,949 17,496 Amortization of goodwill 24,903 22,288 224,939 Amortization of negative goodwill – (79) – Increase in provision for grant of shares 148 119 1,337 Increase in provision for periodic repairs 2,033 332 18,363 (Decrease) increase in provision for product warranties (221) 640 (1,996) Increase in provision for removal cost of property,
plant and equipment 9,891 3,141 89,342 Decrease in net defined benefit liability (4,303) (4,069) (38,867) Interest and dividend income (6,202) (8,021) (56,020) Interest expense 3,209 4,016 28,986 Equity in earnings of affiliates (3,451) (7,138) (31,172) Gain on sales of investment securities (17,312) (13,679) (156,373) Loss on valuation of investment securities 66 1,953 596 Gain on sale of property, plant and equipment (353) (4,268) (3,189) Loss on disposal of noncurrent assets 10,637 9,668 96,080 Decrease in notes and accounts receivable–trade 5,214 16,919 47,096 Decrease (increase) in inventories 6,110 (51,950) 55,189 Increase (decrease) in notes and accounts payable–trade 1,706 (45,562) 15,410 Increase in accrued expenses 1,371 2,624 12,384 Increase (decrease) in advances received 8,190 (1,925) 73,977 Other, net 15,896 (20,688) 143,582 Subtotal 318,744 178,218 2,879,090 Interest and dividend income, received 8,690 10,834 78,493 Interest expense paid (3,086) (4,203) (27,875) Income taxes paid (70,672) (60,388) (638,352) Net cash provided by operating activities 253,676 124,460 2,291,356Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments into time deposits (6,262) (4,195) (56,562) Proceeds from withdrawal of time deposits 4,333 13,343 39,138 Purchase of property, plant and equipment (133,347) (138,354) (1,204,471) Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment 656 5,693 5,925 Purchase of intangible assets (16,945) (16,096) (153,058) Purchase of investment securities (8,061) (10,820) (72,812) Proceeds from sales of investment securities 20,264 23,543 183,037 Purchase of shares in subsidiaries resulting in change in
scope of consolidation (4,811) (175,759) (43,456) Payments for transfer of business (17,566) (1,964) (158,667) Payments of loans receivable (6,144) (23,170) (55,496) Collection of loans receivable 10,428 9,253 94,192 Other, net (297) 369 (2,683) Net cash used in investing activities (157,751) (318,156) (1,424,903)
Millions of yenThousands of U.S. dollars*
2021 2020 2021
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net (decrease) increase in short-term loans payable ¥(168,641) ¥ 172,022 $(1,523,268) (Decrease) increase in commercial paper (55,000) 62,000 (496,793) Proceeds from long-term loans payable 143,467 45,816 1,295,881 Repayment of long-term loans payable (16,936) (17,586) (152,976) Proceeds from issuance of bonds payable 50,000 40,000 451,630 Redemption of bonds – (20,000) – Repayments of lease obligations (1,226) (1,276) (11,074) Purchase of treasury stock (10) (10,016) (90) Proceeds from disposal of treasury stock 69 84 623 Proceeds from share issuance to non-controlling interests – 849 – Cash dividends paid (45,800) (48,723) (413,693) Cash dividends paid to non-controlling interests (1,198) (1,052) (10,821) Payments from changes in ownership interests in subsidiaries
that do not result in change in scope of consolidation (307) – (2,773) Other, net (287) (194) (2,592) Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (95,869) 221,923 (865,947)Effect of exchange rate change on cash and cash equivalents 9,639 (4,060) 87,065Net Increase in cash and cash equivalents 9,695 24,167 87,571Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 204,771 180,520 1,849,616Increase in cash and cash equivalents resulting from changes in scope of consolidation 1,769 85 15,979Cash and cash equivalents at end of year ¥ 216,235 ¥ 204,771 $1,953,166
* As the amounts shown in U.S. dollars are for convenience only, and are not intended to be computed in accordance with generally accepted translation procedures, the approximate current exchange rate of ¥110.71 = US$1 prevailing on March 31, 2021, has been used.
70Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Corporate Profile / Stock Information (as of March 31, 2021)
Asahi Kasei Corporation
Tokyo Head OfficeHibiya Mitsui Tower
1-1-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-6699-3000 Fax: +81-(0)3-6699-3161
Asahi Kasei (China)8/F, One ICC Shanghai International Commerce Centre
No. 999 Huai Hai Zhong Road, Shanghai 200031 China
Tel: +86-(0)21-6391-6111 Fax: +86-(0)21-6391-6686
Asahi Kasei America800 Third Avenue, 30th Floor New York, NY 10022 U.S.A.
Tel: +1-212-371-9900 Fax: +1-212-371-9050
Asahi Kasei EuropeFringsstrasse 17, 40221 Düsseldorf, Germany
Tel: +49-(0)211-33-99-2000 Fax: +49-(0)211-33-99-2200
Asahi Kasei IndiaThe Capital 1502B, Plot C-70, G-Block, Bandra Kurla Complex,
Bandra (East), Mumbai 400051 India
Tel: +91-22-6710-3962 Fax: +91-22-6710-3979
Asahi Kasei Asia Pacific1705-1706, 17th Floor Singha Complex Building,
1788 New Petchaburi Road, Bang Kapi,
Huai Khwang, Bangkok 10310 Thailand
Tel: +66-(0)21-634-944
Core Operating Companies
Asahi Kasei MicrodevicesHibiya Mitsui Tower
1-1-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-6699-3933
Asahi Kasei Homes1-105 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8101 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-6899-3000
Asahi Kasei Construction Materials1-105 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8101 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-3296-3500
Asahi Kasei PharmaHibiya Mitsui Tower
1-1-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-6699-3600
Asahi Kasei MedicalHibiya Mitsui Tower
1-1-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-6699-3750
ZOLL Medical269 Mill Rd., Chelmsford, MA 01824-4105 U.S.A.
Tel: +1-978-421-9655
Veloxis Pharmaceuticals2000 Regency Parkway, Suite 500 Cary, NC 27518 U.S.A.
Tel: +1-919-591-3090
Corporate Profile
Company Name Asahi Kasei Corporation Paid-in Capital ¥103,389 million
Founding May 25, 1922 Employees 44,497 (consolidated) 8,524 (non-consolidated)
Establishment May 21, 1931
Asahi Kasei Group Offices
Stock Listing Tokyo
Stock Code 3407
Authorized Shares 4,000,000,000
Outstanding Shares 1,393,932,032
Transfer Agent Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Ltd.
Independent Auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata LLC
Number of Shareholders 141,137
Stock Information
Largest Shareholders % of equity
The Master Trust Bank of Japan, Ltd. (trust account) 9.41
Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd. (trust account) 5.24
JP Morgan Chase Bank 385632 4.87
Nippon Life Insurance Company 4.21
Asahi Kasei Group Employee Stockholding Assn. 2.55
Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd. (trust account 7) 2.31
Government of Norway 2.00
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. 1.83
Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd. (trust account 5) 1.43
Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., Ltd. retirement benefit trust (Mizuho Bank account) Trustee of sub-trust: Custody Bank of Japan, Ltd.
1.43
Note: Percentage of equity ownership after exclusion of treasury stock.
71Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Selected as a DX Stock
Asahi Kasei has been selected as a Digital
Transformation Stock (DX Stock), an initiative conducted
jointly by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Information Disclosure
Investor RelationsOn our IR website, we present information on the Asahi Kasei Group’s business performance and
future policies, in addition to posting financial results materials and a wide variety of management
briefing materials.
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/ir/
SustainabilityWe disclose detailed information on Asahi Kasei’s sustainability policies, systems, results, and
data regarding ESG issues on our sustainability website (Sustainability Report).
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/
GRI Standards Content Index
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/basic_information/guidelines/
SASB Content Index
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/basic_information/sasb/
Inclusion in Socially Responsible Investment Indexes (As of 2021)
• FTSE4Good Index
• FTSE Blossom Japan Index
• MSCI ESG Leaders Indexes
• MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN)
• MSCI Japan ESG Select Leaders Index
• S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index
CDP Climate Change and Water Security A– Evaluation
Asahi Kasei received an A– evaluation in the categories of Climate Change
and Water Security in the 2020 survey conducted by CDP. We received an
A– in the Climate Change category for six consecutive years from 2015 to
2020, while 2020 was our second year to receive an A– in the Water
Security category.
Acquisition of the Highest Rank from Development Bank of Japan, Inc. (DBJ) under its DBJ Environmentally Rated Loan Program
In November 2020, Asahi Kasei received a Development Bank
of Japan loan under the DBJ Environmentally Rated Loan
Program, having obtained the system’s highest rating as a
“company with particularly advanced environmental programs.”2020
72Asahi Kasei Report 2021 Management StrategyAsahi Kasei Group Overview Business Overview Corporate Governance and Risk Management
Corporate Information
Hibiya Mitsui Tower
1-1-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006 Japan
www.asahi-kasei.com/